


the last good thing about this part of town

by Krewlak



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Heathers AU, In Character? I Don't Know Her, OT4 if you squint - Freeform, Riverdale Rare Pair Gift Exchange 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2020-05-12 01:37:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 48,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19218964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krewlak/pseuds/Krewlak
Summary: Fine, we're damagedReally damagedBut that does not make us wiseWe're not special, we're not differentWe don't choose who lives or diesA Heathers-inspired AU





	1. dead girl walking

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jeronicamush](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeronicamush/gifts).



> Written for the riverdalerarepairgiftexhange2019 organized by @archieandrewsprotectionsquad over on tumblr. Thank you so much for putting this together!
> 
> So, even though I've had months to work on this, time management is not my strong suit and like most things this has gotten completely out of control. Rather than miss the deadline entirely, I've decided to split this into two parts (maybe three, it really depends on how part two goes) and gift the first part now since I have that ready to go! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this even if it is completely wild and out there and not 100% in-character. Lol.

“This certainly isn’t how I planned this night going,” Veronica mutters as soon as the closet door shuts behind them. The music from the party can still be heard through the door and Veronica can’t help but wonder how the cops haven’t been called yet.

“Did you have a plan?” Archie asks. The light from his phone lights up both of their faces and Veronica almost pouts. He’s still cute in the neon glow of his screensaver. “When you asked me to take you to the dance, I mean.”

“If memory serves correctly, Betty asked _you_ to the dance,” Veronica says, trying to look anywhere but at Archie. “I was just lumped in there at the last minute.”

“You don’t seem like the kind of girl who gets lumped into anything she doesn’t want,” Archie replies. Veronica’s eyebrows reach up to her hairline and she can’t help the way her lips curl into a pleased smirk.

“Have you been paying attention to the new girl, Archie Andrews?” she asks, voice low and sweet. She looks up at him through her lashes and bites her bottom lip.

“Something like that,” he mumbles, fingers brushing against the skirt of her dress. She knows it’s a bad idea but when he leans down a little Veronica leans up. “You’re kind of hard to ignore.”

“I’m taking that as a compliment, Archiekins,” Veronica mutters as she slides her hands up his chest to rest on his shoulders.

“It definitely is one,” he replies, each word brushing against her lips.

There’s a little voice at the  back of her head telling her to stop, telling her that it’s a bad idea, that this is something that the old Veronica would do and isn’t Riverdale is supposed to be a fresh start? The firm press of Archie’s mouth on hers silences the voice that sounds far too much like a certain blonde.

It’s a good kiss. One of the better kisses in her life, if she’s being honest. But it’s wrong. It’s the wrong move to slide her hands into his hair. It’s the wrong move to let him lift her up by the ass, to wrap her legs around his waist while he pins her against the door. Every single thing that happens in that closet is the wrong move until someone starts pounding on the door.

Of course, Betty is missing when they step into the harsh light of the party. Of course, Reggie Mantle is the one to start cheering as soon as he notices the smeared lipstick on Archie’s face. Of course, Cheryl is standing there with arms crossed, smiling like a cat who got the canary.

“Where did she go?” Archie asks, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. Veronica figures that what they say about redhead tempers is true based on how furious he looks. “Come on, Cheryl!”

“Calm down,” Cheryl says, rolling her eyes. She snags a bottle of champagne from a passerby and shrugs a little. “You and I both know how high maintenance Betty can be. As soon as you two got locked away in your little love nest, she freaked and fled.”

“You planned this, didn’t you?” Archie hisses, taking a step towards Cheryl. To her credit, Cheryl doesn’t flinch but Veronica can’t help it when she grabs Archie’s shoulder to hold him back. “Why are you always such a bitch, Cheryl?”

“Excuse me?” Cheryl asks. She narrows her eyes and tilts her head a little. “Have you forgotten who I am? I’m Cheryl Bombshell. I do what I want. When I want. If you have a problem with that, Archibald, then you are free to leave.”

Archie doesn’t need to be told twice before he’s shaking his head and marching out of the living room. He doesn’t even look back at Veronica before slamming the front door behind him. Veronica debates following after him, finding Betty and explaining or trying to explain. It’s what the new Veronica would do. It’s what a good person would do.

“Well, now that the wet blankets have officially left the party,” Cheryl says with a sigh. She holds the bottle of champagne out to Veronica with a raised eyebrow. “Drink?”

Veronica stares at the extended bottle. Looks towards the door. Looks at the thriving party over Cheryl’s shoulder. It's the same crowd of popular kids, trying to drown the boredom of being seventeen, almost eighteen in a small town with booze and sex and loud music. It’s the same shit that Veronica was trying to get away from when they left New York. It’s the same shit that Veronica happens to be excellent at.

Veronica can see the two paths in front of her, can see the way her life could play out in either direction. Chasing after Betty and being the good friend she never was in New York. Stepping aside so that Archie and Betty can find their fairy tale ending. Slowly melting into the throng of students that attend Riverdale High and being nothing more than an average student.

Veronica takes the bottle and takes a long swig, ignoring the way the bubbles make her stomach churn and the satisfaction on Cheryl’s face. People don’t change. People can’t change. This is who she is and she’s not going to try and hide it ever again.

-

“Now, Veronica, we have this little thing called the lunchtime poll,” Cheryl says a few weeks later, breaking Veronica out of her staring match with the nutrition chart across the room. “We started in the fall. It’s all for the yearbook.”

Veronica tries to feign something like interest for the small town tradition. Cheryl continues to lecture the table about the question that she’d come up with during study hall, oblivious as usual to the blank stares of the lunch table. Josie elbows Veronica in her side when Cheryl directs a question at her, jerking slightly as she mumbles, “What?”

“Jesus Christ, Veronica,” Cheryl hisses, smile dropping instantly. “You were in study hall with me when I came up with the question.”

“Sorry,” she says not meaning it at all but not feeling like getting into a battle of wills with the redhead. She blinks and turns to Cheryl with something she hopes reads an interest on her face. “What were you saying?”

Cheryl huffs at having to repeat herself but does it anyways, “The lunchtime poll. Your numbers get drawn in the lottery and you win an enormous fortune of 50 million dollars. But. The day it clears your bank, aliens land and say we have two days before they destroy the world. What do you do?”

“Seriously Cheryl?”  Josie asks, raising an eyebrow. She rests her chin on her hand and smirks a little. “Don’t you think that’s a bit open ended?”

“Your point?” Cheryl asks through clenched teeth. Veronica has only been in Riverdale a short while but she knows that the redhead hates being corrected.

“It’s just not much of a poll, Cheryl,” Josie says, dropping her eyebrows and anything that resembles a smile. “Come on. It’s the yearbook. We don’t need to get all existential with it.”

“Excuse me for wanting to talk about something other than your favorite pizza topping,” Cheryl says with a pout. “I just want some mental stimulation before Jay Jay's big party this weekend.”

“And _this_ is how you do it?” Josie asks. She turns to Veronica and raises both eyebrows. “Back me up here. Even in New York the yearbook polls had to be lame.”

“I mean, that is the nature of yearbooks in general, right?” Veronica says with another considering look across the cafeteria. “A corny history of the school year packaged for us to reminisce and pretend like it wasn’t a living nightmare.”

“Wow, Veronica,” Cheryl says, tilting her head in mock sympathy. “Gloomy much?”

“I’m just being honest,” Veronica says with a shrug. She reaches up for her pearls, idly playing with them. A bad habit that never had a chance to actually go away. “I mean. Why do you even need mental stimulation _before_ a party? Isn’t the whole point of a party supposed to be a lack of mental stimulation?”

“You’ve never been to one of Jason’s parties,” Josie says with a sigh. “It always starts as some fancy wine and cheese event until someone pulls out the coke and Jason breaks into his dad’s liquor cabinet.”

“Thank you, Josie, for that apt description,” Cheryl says through clenched teeth. “Not that anyone asked for your opinion on Jason’s party-throwing abilities.”

Josie sits up a little straighter but she doesn’t apologize. Veronica still hasn’t fully sorted out how their dynamic works. Two Queen Bees in totally different ways but ruling from the same social circle. They share the lunch table as a co-committee of HBICs but as long as Josie has the Pussycats and Cheryl has the Vixens the latent competition never boils over.

If Veronica had been put in the same situation back in New York, she would have run her competition out of town without a second thought. Who cares if singing in public sounds like an absolute nightmare or being cheer captain sounds like too much work? Veronica had to be the top of the pyramid and would not tolerate anyone trying to usurp her.

“I’m just saying Cheryl, if you could just convince Jason to book the Pussycats as entertainment this year,” Josie says with a sweet smile. Cheryl rolls her eyes and runs her long nails through her hair. “Come on! You know that we would make that party actually worth going to.”

“Why wait for Jason’s party to book you guys?” Veronica interrupts. “My parents are going out of town this weekend. We could host something at the Pembroke. Something decidedly more . . . high school, if you will. The view from the balcony is insane and my dad’s Cristal stash is not as secure as he would like to think.”

Cheryl exhales loudly through her nose and leans towards Veronica a little, “Isn’t your father in jail for embezzlement? How could he possibly have a Cristal stash at the Pembroke when he’s upstate serving time?”

Josie barely manages to smother her laugh, pressing her hand to her mouth. Veronica doesn’t blame her. The news of her father's short lived jail stint was bound to have reached even the smallest of towns. Veronica doesn't bother informing Cheryl that he'd been released before they'd even left New York. She knows that it wouldn't matter. She just straightens her spine and smirks slightly. She relishes the moment just a little as she says, “You sound threatened, Cheryl. What? Doesn’t Thornhill carry the good stuff?”

Josie doesn’t bother trying to hide her laugh this time. In fact, she chokes on her juice a little and Veronica calmly pats her on the back. Cheryl stands up, gathering her clipboard and raising a single eyebrow at Veronica expectantly. Veronica rolls her eyes and stands up asking, “Poll time?”

“Clearly,” Cheryl says through a tight-lipped smile. “Josephine. A pleasure, as always.”

“Uh huh,” Josie says, looking between Cheryl and Veronica. She rests her chin in her hand and smiles. “Have fun, you two.”

Veronica very subtly flips her the bird behind Cheryl’s back. Josie blows her a kiss before turning to her phone. Cheryl has already marched across the cafeteria starting with Reggie’s table of meat head jocks.

“Ronica. Cherry. To what do we owe the pleasure?” Reggie asks, leaning back in his chair. He eyes her up and down and Veronica tries not to roll her eyes. “Not that we mind the view or anything.”

“Don’t be a pig, Reginald,” Cheryl says with a pleasant enough smile. Reggie rolls his eyes but doesn’t look away from Veronica. “It’s the lunchtime poll.”

“Can’t you just skip us this time?” Moose asks with a groan. “The polls are always so lame.”

“Not this time, Marmaduke,” Cheryl says, uncapping her pen with a flourish and handing it to Veronica to record everyone’s answer. “Listen closely, I will not be repeating myself. You win a contest worth 50 billion dollars. But. The day that the check clears your bank account, aliens land on Earth and announce that humans have two days before they kill us all. What do you do?”

“Um,” Midge says from her place at Moose’s side. “Not to be rude or anything but that’s not much of a poll, Cheryl.”

“And you’re not much of a cheerleader but I try to keep that to myself, don’t I?” Cheryl snaps. Midge blinks her big owl-like eyes and Cheryl just rolls hers. “Don’t think about it too hard, Midge. Just answer the question.”

Midge chews on her bottom lip while they wait for her answer. After what seems an eternity (the appropriate amount of time for the gears in Midge's mind to properly start spinning) she finally answers, “I’d probably give it to charity. Try and help those who have always been shit on by society, you know? Give them the chance to die with some dignity.”

“Lame!” Reggie shouts, tossing a French fry at Midge. Moose just laughs and shoves the discarded fry into his mouth. After he digs it out of Midge’s cleavage of course. “I would throw the biggest party that Riverdale has ever seen. I want to go out with a beer in each hand and a girl on my lap - a pretty girl. Not some uggo desperate to go out without her virginity.”

“You’re disgusting, Mantle,” Veronica says. “I’m not writing that down.”

“Sounds like discrimination,” Reggie says, raising an eyebrow. “You going to let that stand in your yearbook, Cherry?”

“Don’t call me that,” Cheryl says through a vicious smile. She looks at Veronica for a long minute before rolling her eyes. “Take down both of their lame answers and let’s move on.”

Veronica huffs a little, shaking her head as she makes a couple of notes. She makes it a point to ignore the details and jots down the main point of Reggie's answer. Cheryl has already moved onto the next table and so it goes until Veronica has filled three pages with answers and the only table left is Betty Cooper’s.

Veronica hasn’t spoken to the blonde since Cheryl’s party. In fact, she’s actively avoided having to be anywhere near Betty since that night. It’d been easy enough since Betty had promptly quit the Vixens in favor of the Blue & Gold and Archie had quit the Bulldogs in favor of forming his own band. She might have avoided Betty but that doesn't mean she hasn't noticed how much time the two of them had started to spend together. Today they’re sitting close together, thighs probably pressed together under the table. It's too close for just casual childhood best friends but Veronica hasn’t heard any whispers of a budding romance between the two.

“Cousin Cooper,” Cheryl says with a pleased smile at the way Betty tenses. Veronica watches Archie drop his hand and she can only assume that he’s uncurling her clenched fist. “Red Boy Wonder. Hobo.”

Veronica jerks her eyes away from Betty and Archie to look at the third person at the table. His back is to her but Veronica is sure that if she knew him, she’d remember him. She can’t imagine forgetting a beanie that ugly or posture so hunched in on itself. He glances at her over his shoulder and she gets a glimpse of stormy blue eyes. It's a pretty color, bright in contrast to the darkness of his hair, making the sharp angles of his face slightly shocking but memorable.

“Go away, Cheryl,” he says, voice bored and irritated. “No one here is interested.”

“Jughead’s right,” Archie agrees, glaring at them from beneath his thick eyebrows. “We’re not interested in whatever it is you’re selling.”

“Have you lost your voice, Cousin Cooper?” Cheryl asks, ignoring the boys. “Don’t tell me that you’ve suddenly lost interest in the lunchtime poll. It was your idea after all.”

Betty’s jaw clenches and she gives Cheryl a tight lipped smile. She looks at Archie and the tightness in her face lessens only slightly. Veronica momentarily thinks that the gossip mill has failed her. Maybe there is something going on between them after all.

“Ask away, Cheryl,” Betty says with a sigh. There’s no warmth or enthusiasm in her voice, just a tired resignation that makes Veronica’s stomach flip over. It doesn’t go unnoticed that Betty hasn’t looked at her once since they stopped by the table.

Cheryl explains the poll and Veronica promptly zones out, doodling in the corner of her notepad. She’s heard the question so many times this lunch period, the question and the usual complaints about it not being that much of a poll. She scribbles down Betty’s bland answer, a party for all of her close friends and family, and Archie’s eager-to-please agreement with her. It’s boring and pedestrian and Veronica wonders again just what Cheryl was hoping to gain from such an open-ended poll.

“Jones?” Cheryl asks once Betty has answered. “Your answer?”

“Are we really going to pretend that you care?” he replies with a snort. “And, as previously mentioned, this isn’t much of  poll.”

“Can you, for once in your pitiful life, just play along?” Cheryl asks with a roll of her eyes. “No one is in the mood for your bullshit, loner posturing.”

“The sooner you give her an answer, the sooner they can leave, Juggie,” Betty mutters, reaching across the table with her free hand to grip his forearm. His shoulders relax and Veronica adds it to her growing list of mental notes concerning Betty Cooper’s romantic entanglements.

“All-you-can-eat buffet at Pop’s. My laptop and the bank of Sweetwater River as the sun goes down,” Jughead says without much thought. It’s simple and boring and the most honest answer that anyone has given the entire lunch period.

“And let me guess,” Cheryl says, rolling her eyes. “You’re all by yourself? Boring.”

Jughead’s eyes flick to Betty and Archie for a split second before he looks at Veronica. His eyes travel up and down her. It's not anything she isn't used to but there's a distinct lack of leer. Doesn't mean she doesn't feel her heart race and her mouth go suddenly dry. He licks his lips and she copies him, watching the way his eyes track the movement. Cheryl clears her throat in irritation but Jughead doesn't look away from Veronica when he answers, “Do you really care? You got your answer.”

“Whatever,” Cheryl says. She looks at Veronica. “Did you get everything down?”

Veronica still hasn’t looked away from Jughead, hasn’t been able to pull her gaze from the blue of his eyes. Her voice is barely above a whisper when she answers Cheryl, “Naturally.”

“Naturally,” he repeats even though she wasn’t talking to him. Cheryl looks between the two of them before huffing and grabbing Veronica by the elbow.

“If you’re done eye-fucking the weirdos of Riverdale High,” Cheryl hisses under her breath as she drags Veronica away. “Seriously, Veronica. The red headed boy wonder was one thing, at least he was on the football team, but Jughead Jones? Really?”

“I didn’t _do_ anything,” Veronica mutters, pulling her arm free. “You’re the one who dragged me around the damn cafeteria cause you can’t be bothered to write anything down yourself.”

“Right,” Cheryl says through clenched teeth.

She drags Veronica out of the cafeteria into the empty hallway, tossing her hair over her shoulder. She crosses her arms and looks Veronica up and down. Veronica is sure that on anyone else that look-down would be terrifying. She’s given her fair share of that same look to underlings and felt satisfied when they cowered in front of her.

“I’m sure you think you’re hot shit,” Cheryl says, losing whatever cool-girl-image she’d honed over the past decade. “In fact, I know you think you’re hot shit. New York ice princess with the criminal father and all of that. But here, at Riverdale High, I am HBIC. You showed yourself to have some balls at my party but don’t go soft on me, lusting after some beanie-wearing-loser. I’ve already told Jason all about you and you’re expected at his party. Don’t make me regret that invitation, Ronnie-dear.”

The bell rings, cutting off whatever retort that Veronica could come up with. Cheryl gives her one more look before spinning on her heel and heading off to class. Veronica watches her walk away, hair swaying back and forth and ass twitching in a way that’s entirely on purpose. The only thought that’s swirling through Veronica’s head is a simple one.

What a mythic bitch.

-

Veronica chugs down the last of her jungle juice while Chuck Clayton, ex-football star turned townie, drones on in her ear. Veronica had stopped listening almost ten minutes ago but he still hadn’t gotten the hint. Every time she’s walked away, Chuck has just followed after her with a hand on her lower back. Cheryl had disappeared what seemed like hours ago, pulled into a riveting conversation about water polo or some shit. She’d barely left Jason’s side all night and, not for the first time, Veronica is left wondering at just how close the siblings actually are.

“Anyways, what are you into?” Chuck asks, finally realizing that Veronica might actually have something to say. Before she can answer or finally blow him off, he keeps talking. “I mean. You’re just a high schooler and I’m used to girls who all they want to talk about is there college classes. I’m so over that scene. Definitely looking for something a little easier, a little simpler, you know?”

“Alright,” Veronica huffs, shoving her empty cup into Chuck’s chest. “I’ve officially had my fill of this conversation. If you can even call it that.”

“Excuse me?”

“Look, _Chuck_ , get me another drink and then find some other weak-minded undergrad to,” Veronica pauses and looks him up and down with a sneer. “ _Lavish_ your charms on.”

Chuck looked down at the empty cup before looking up at Veronica. He raises both eyebrows before huffing out an awkward laugh. Veronica smirks and crosses her arms, gesturing for Chuck to hurry along to the jungle juice bowl. He swaggers off a moment later, purposefully avoiding the booze and tossing her empty cup over his shoulder. Veronica rolls her eyes and sighs. She looks around the party before wandering off to the bathroom. Of course, no one notices her disappearing up the stairs.

Once she’s alone, Veronica inspects her makeup and hair. Everything is perfectly in place, lips purple and eyes smokey. Her outfit is borrowed from Cheryl - a slinky black top and skirt that is at once her style and not. All in all, she’s every guy’s wet dream. Veronica Lodge. Made to break hearts and take names. In that order.

She cups some water from the running sink in her hands, swallows some and sucks the rest into her mouth. She stares at her reflection a little longer before spitting the water at the mirror in disgust.

When she steps out of the bathroom, Cheryl is there with murder on her face snapping, “What the fuck are you doing?”

“I was taking a piss, if you must know,” Veronica replies. She’s completely run out of any patience or niceness hours ago. “Why?”

“Tell me why it is that Chuck fucking Clayton just bashed you for ten minutes straight in front of every eligible guy here?” Cheryl hisses. Veronica scoffs and moves to walk past her but her red-nailed claws grip her upper arm in a vice like grip. “Are you trying to embarrass me or are you actually incapable to keeping your shit together?”

“Oh, please, Cheryl,” Veronica says, rolling her eyes. “I am done with this game you insist on playing.”

She doesn’t explain any further than that before yanking her arm free and slowly making her way back downstairs. Veronica can hear Cheryl’s heels clacking after her but she doesn’t turn around. She snags her purse from behind the potted plant where she’d hidden it earlier in the night, pulling her phone free to call Smithers and isn’t surprised to see there are no messages waiting for her.

The party has, somehow, gotten wilder since she went to the bathroom. The music is louder and there’s far less quiet conversation and way more laughter and shouting. Veronica sees that Josie’s approximation of the night was almost too accurate. She’s reaching for the front door when it swings open in front of her, revealing a worried Betty and Archie. Veronica blinks and takes a step back asking, “Betty?”

“Veronica?” Betty says, equally surprised though she shouldn’t be. Veronica is sure that Cheryl has told one and all that she was finally being properly vetted this weekend at Jay Jay’s annual rager. “What are . . . are you leaving?”

“Planning on it,” Veronica mutters, still trying to wrap her head around the golden couple standing in front of her. “What are you two doing here?”

“Picking up my sister,” Betty says with a sigh of irritation. Veronica looks at Archie with raised eyebrows and Betty’s cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink. “Archie insisted on escorting me.”

“I’ve been to my fair share of keggers,” Archie mumbles with a shrug. “Doesn’t hurt to have back up.”

“Oh, look, the golden wonder duo is here,” Cheryl huffs as she comes up behind Veronica. She drapes an arm over Veronica’s shoulder and she can’t help feeling like she’s just territory for Cheryl to piss all over. “You two do know that this is an invitation only party and that neither of you were invited, right?”

“I just want to pick up my sister, Cheryl,” Betty replies with a huff. “I’m not here for your stupid party.”

“Your sister?” Cheryl replies, raising her eyebrow. She smirks at Veronica, expecting her to join in on the fun of torturing Betty, but Veronica just shrugs off her arm and crosses her arms. Cheryl doesn’t react much but there’s the slightest twitch of her mouth to show her displeasure. “Well, sorry to report to you, Cousin Cooper, but Pollykins isn’t here.”

“She texted me.”

“Maybe she’s confused? I mean, we both know how unstable Polly can be,” Cheryl says, each word dripping with saccharine sweetness. The color drains from Betty's face and Veronica watches as her hands slowly curl into tight fists.

“Stop being a bitch, Cheryl, and just let us get Polly,” Archie interjects, wrapping his fingers around Betty’s wrist. He glares at Cheryl from under his thick eyebrows, expression murderous. “It’s a pretty fucking simple request.”

“I see things haven’t changed for you, Betty,” Cheryl says, ignoring Archie’s outburst. “Coming to your sister’s rescue without any thanks. Having other people fight your battles for you. Aren’t you tired of being the meek little nobody that you are?”

“Enough, Cheryl,” Archie continues, pulling Betty behind him slightly. “Fucking enough.”

Veronica watches Betty’s face with wide eyes, watches how her green eyes slowly fill with tears and she looks down at her sneakers. Her knuckles are white from clenching so tight, the edges of her palms bright red. Veronica can feel the phantom sting of nails biting into her palms just looking at Betty’s hands.

“I’m just making an observation, Archibald,” Cheryl replies, rolling her eyes. “It’s not my fault that none of the Blossom fire was passed down to her side of the family. Though,” she looks back at Betty and narrows her eyes. “You’d think that Southside trash mother of hers would have at least passed on her backbone.”

Betty’s mouth drops open in shock and those tears that had been welling in her sea green eyes finally spill over. Something in Veronica snaps and she turns to Cheryl with venom in her eyes. Her voice is calm and cruel when she says, “Enough! Jesus Christ, Cheryl, enough!”

“Excuse me?” Cheryl practically hisses, turning to Veronica. “Did anyone give you permission to speak?”

“I am so tired of this routine,” Veronica says, schooling her features into a look of utter boredom. “You traffic in fear and intimidation. It’s the only way to keep people not only in line but in your life in general, isn’t it? Because otherwise you’re sure that no one would actually want to spend time with you. I mean, why would they? It’s not like you have anything to offer other than your decades old family money, right Cherry?”

Cheryl opens her mouth to answer but Veronica holds up a hand cutting her off before she has the chance to say anything, “That was a rhetorical question.”

“Veronica,” Archie says, a note of warning in his voice. Veronica looks at him out of the corner of her eye briefly but she doesn’t turn away from Cheryl. She can see the warning signs clear as day but she’s had enough of the redheads tyranny.

“Without that privilege and entitlement that you wear on your head like a goddamn crown, you’d be just like them. Confused and lost in the general nightmare that is high school,” Veronica says, looking Cheryl up and down. She laughs, bitter and mean and the tiniest bit sad. “You’re not any different than the rest of us Cheryl and unless you figure that out, you’re going to end up like every other teen-queen-cliche: stuck in your hometown crying over your glory days while the rest of us go on to live actual lives.”

She doesn’t wait to hear back from Cheryl before turning to Betty saying, “Let’s go find your sister.”

She reaches out to grab Betty’s arm, ignoring Archie’s protests, and drags her further into the house. Cheryl doesn’t say anything as they wander back into the throng of the party and Veronica doesn’t look back. Slowly, she slides her hand down and pries Betty’s clenched fist open, lacing their fingers together. She can feel Betty try to pull away but Veronica just holds on tighter whispering in the blonde's ear, “Stick with me and we’ll find her in no time.”

“Why do you care?” Betty asks, the distrust in her voice is clear. But she doesn’t let go of Veronica’s hand, so she takes it as a win. “It’s not like we’re friends or anything.”

“We could have been friends, though,” Veronica says, giving Betty a shy smile as they wander past an intense game of beer pong. “We could have been the best of friends if I hadn’t been such a coward.”

“I don’t think anyone could ever describe Veronica Lodge as a coward,” Betty says softly, returning Veronica’s shy smile with one of her own. It feels like a new beginning, one that Veronica is willing to grab onto with both hands. “Especially considering you just tore into Cheryl Blossom for two people who aren’t even your friends.”

“But that's what I'm saying. We could be friends,” Veronica says, pulling Betty into a quiet corner. Betty’s eyes keep scanning the crowd looking for her sister but Veronica isn’t ready to let the topic drop. “We could be the best of friends, if you want.”

Betty’s eyes widen just a fraction and Veronica is sure that on any other face it would be comical. On Betty, however, she just looks more like the perfect girl next door. Good in all of the ways that Veronica is bad and so far out of Veronica’s league that it’s laughable. Betty opens her mouth to voice the rejection that Veronica is almost sure of when two pale arms wrap around Betty’s shoulders and a face so similar to Betty’s turns into Betty’s neck mumbling, “I knew you’d come for me.”

Betty huffs in harmless irritation before turning around saying, “Polly, where have you been? I asked you to meet me in the driveway.”

“Jay Jay wanted to talk about something,” Polly mumbles, cupping Betty’s cheeks. “But I knew you would find me. You’re the best little sister on the planet.”

“God, how much did you drink tonight?” Betty says and Veronica can practically hear the eye roll. “You know Mom and Dad are home, right? How am I going to sneak you past them like this?”

“I can climb,” Polly mumbles, pouting a little bit. “I’ll be a quiet monkey and climb through your window like Archie does.”

“Polly!” Betty practically shouts, covering her mouth with both hands. “That’s supposed to be our secret, remember?”

Polly looks at Veronica over Betty’s shoulder, drunken eyes narrowing slightly. She pulls Betty’s hands away from her mouth and rests her chin on Betty’s shoulder and asks Veronica, “Aren’t you, like, her friend? Don’t you know about her clan-clandest-ine relationship with the boy next door?”

Veronica just raises her eyebrows. At least, that’s one suspicion that Veronica can properly put to rest.

“We’re not close like that,” Betty hisses, cupping Polly’s cheek and tilting her face back towards her own. “Seriously, Polly, how much did you drink?”

“I barely drank anything, mooooom,” Polly says with an exaggerated eye roll. “Cheryl mixed me one drink and then the room got spinny but I’m totally fine now. Scout’s honor.”

She tries to hold her hand up in the customary three fingered salute but can’t quite make it. She pouts like a little kid and forces her fingers to cooperate with her other hand. Veronica does her best to turn her laugh into a cough when Betty glares at her over her shoulder. She turns back to Polly with a practiced patience that makes Veronica how many times she's done this. She talks to Veronica over her shoulder as she smooths Polly's hair away from her face, “What am I supposed to do? I’m sure Cheryl put something in her drink. You don’t get this drunk off of one drink.”

“You can come over to my place,” Veronica suggests without thinking. Polly and Betty turn to Veronica with matching green eyes. “I mean, my parents are out of town this weekend anyways. The Pembroke is totally empty. Perfect place for Polly to come down off of whatever Cheryl gave her.”

“Veronica, we couldn’t impose like that,” Betty says, shaking her head. “I’m sure we could just go to Archie’s house for the night.”

“Because Mr. Andrews won’t ask any questions, right?” Veronica asks back. “We can order Pop's to go and spend the night watching bad horror flicks on Netflix. Please, Betty? It’s the least I can do.”

“Yeeeeesssssss!” Polly shouts, drawing a few unwanted eyes their way. “I could murder a triple bacon burger right now.”

“That sounds like a decision made, then,” Veronica says with a pleased smirk on her face. Betty looks between Polly and Veronica before huffing and nodding in agreement. Veronica pulls out her phone with a flourish to start texting Smithers their order from Pop’s. “What does everyone want? Should we find Archie and ask him?”

“Betty knows Archie’s order by heart,” Polly says with a sly smile. She tugs on Betty’s ponytail like any affectionate older sibling would. “She’s known it since the third grade.”

“Stop it, Polly,” Betty murmurs, grabbing her sister’s hand. She starts to walk away without telling Veronica what she wants to eat. Veronica just follows after her with an unconcerned shrug. “We should probably ask Archie if he even wants to come with us or if he’d rather go home.”

“Like Archie would want to spend his Friday night with anyone else in this town,” Polly continues, spinning herself around and under Betty’s arm. She’s smiling serenely, swaying to some internal song that doesn’t match the pounding bass that’s starting to pour through the house.

As they near the front door again, Veronica notices the tight embrace that Cheryl and Archie are sharing. She doesn’t know if Betty has noticed considering how preoccupied she is by Polly. If it were anyone else, Veronica would think Cheryl was crying and Archie was comforting her but Cheryl looks up as Polly let’s out a girlish, high pitched giggle and her face is dry. Her blood red lips curl into a vindictive smile before she shifts so that she’s kissing Archie full on the mouth.

Veronica barely has time to react before Betty is darting forward and yanking Archie back. Veronica is reaching for Betty just as her hand connects with Cheryl’s pale cheek, slapping the self-satisfied smirk from Cheryl’s face. The crack echoes through the foyer and Veronica puts a hand to her mouth in utter shock.

“You bitch!” Cheryl screeches, staring at Betty with wide, fury filled eyes.

“I’m the bitch? Me?” Betty screeches back, hands curled into fists at her sides. Veronica swears that she can see blood starting to seep out the sides. “You drug my sister, insult me to my face, and make out with my boyfriend and I’m the bitch? You’re the one who's a fucking bitch! You’re the one who has _always_ been a bitch, Cheryl!”

“Oh please,” Cheryl scoffs. Half of her face is bright red, the beginnings of a hand shaped bruise marring her otherwise perfect complexion. “We both know that I didn’t give Polly anything she wasn’t already asking for. We both know just how much of a wild child your sister can be, don’t we? And don't even get me started on how bored Archie probably is with your vanilla ass."

A tense moment passes before Betty lets out a guttural scream. She reaches out towards Cheryl with bloody hands, fingers curling around her delicate throat. Archie springs into action before anyone else, wrapping his arms around Betty and dragging her away kicking and screaming. Veronica looks over her shoulder and notices the small crowd that's started to form drawn by Betty's screams. Before Cheryl has the chance to spew anymore vile things or anyone can think to call the cops, Veronica grabs Polly and makes a beeline for the door. Archie drags Betty with him, quick on her heels.

“Come Monday morning the three of you are dead!” Cheryl screams at their retreating figures. “Do you hear me you fucking rejects? You’re dead!”

“Oooooh my god,” Polly says with a triumphant laugh as they stumble to a slow walk on Main Street. “Betty, that was. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like that. Like ever. And I’ve known you since birth.”

Betty doesn’t say anything. She’s panting and leaning heavily on Archie, face pressed into his shoulder. Archie is whispering something into her hair, arm wrapped around her waist holding her to him tight. Veronica doesn’t think before taking up the empty spot on Betty’s other side. She links her arm through Betty’s and uncurls Betty’s clenched fist with her free hand. It’s awkward as hell walking like this but the weak smile that Betty sends her way is worth it.

Polly dances down the street until they’re in the neon lit parking lot of Pop’s. They silently agree that Polly and Betty should stay outside. They’re both too much of a mess to be inside where other people might see them. Veronica quickly takes Archie and Betty’s food order, adding it to the note she has on her phone, before going inside.

The inside of Pop’s is intensely quiet and empty after the throbbing noise of Cheryl’s party. It is almost three in the morning, after all. Veronica takes a moment to breathe deeply, inhaling the smell of burgers and fries that’s probably seeped into the very walls of the diner. Pop gives her a smile from behind the counter greeting her, “Hey there, Miss Lodge. Want to order something?”

“I’m pretty sure I’ve asked you to call me Veronica, Pop,” she says with a small, warm smile. “Miss Lodge is far too formal and you know it. I can’t imagine you ever calling my mother Miss Gomez when she was my age.”

“Well, I might have picked up some manners since then,” Pop says with a small chuckle. “Bit late for you, isn’t it?”

“Partying bodies need greasy food to end the night,” Veronica says with a shrug. It’s barely an answer but she doubts that Pop Tate will ask for further detail. “Quiet night?”

“Just the usual night owls,” Pop says, nodding towards the back corner. Veronica follows his gaze and lets out a small _oh_ of surprise to find Jughead Jones watching her over the top of his laptop. “What can I get you, Miss Veronica?”

Veronica quickly lists off everyone’s order, including her own. She looks at Jughead again but he’s focused on his laptop now. She bites her lip before adding, “And another order of whatever Jughead is eating. All to go, please.”

Pop raises his eyebrows before looking between Jughead and Veronica. She waits patiently for the disbelief to fade from his face before he nods and ambles back to the kitchen to put the order in. Veronica slowly makes her way over to Jughead’s table, sliding into the booth opposite of him without a word. He continues typing at his computer, not even bothering to glance up at her as he says, “You know, if Cheryl sees you sitting there she’ll kick you out of the cools kids club.”

“Pretty sure I got kicked out of the cool kids club an hour ago when I ripped her a new one for making Betty Cooper cry,” Veronica replies. That’s enough to get his attention eyebrows reaching up towards his hairline. “Also, just so you know before I invite you to join us, Betty attacked Cheryl and is a little shook up over it. And Polly is high out of her mind. But Archie has it together, so there’s that.”

“Sounds like an eventful night,” Jughead says slowly. He doesn’t really react to anything she’s said. Veronica isn’t sure if she likes that or not. “But I’m not sure why I would be included in the come down from it.”

“You’re friends with Betty and Archie,” Veronica says like her reasoning is crystal clear at the moment. “They’ve had quite the night and only friends can help.”

“Are you including yourself in that group of friends?” Jughead asks after a long pause that she refuses to fidget through. She just faced down the demon queen of Riverdale High. She will not falter in front of the resident loner even if the exact color of his eyes is quickly becoming her favorite shade of blue.

“Why do you sound so doubtful?”

“I may not run with the cools kids but that doesn’t mean I’m immune to the high school gossip mill,” he says, finally closing his laptop and sliding it to the side. Veronica feels a thrill go through her and she leans forward a little. “I know what happened at the last party that featured the three of you.”

“That was then. This is now,” Veronica says, ignoring the way her stomach twists up at the memory.

“And what changed?”

Veronica huffs in irritation trying her best not to snap when she asks, “Do you always interrogate people who are trying to be nice?”

“When they don’t have a history of being nice, yeah, I do,” he replies, voice as calm as if they were discussing the weather. He sounds just as bored too.

“Maybe I’m trying to change. Be the good person that I wanted to be when I moved here,” she says, opting for honesty. He looks like someone who would appreciate blunt honesty. He crosses his arms and leans back in the booth. “You look like you don’t believe me.”

“Nothing about you says ‘trying to be a good person,’” Jughead mutters. “No offense.”

“Offense taken,” Veronica says, mimicking his posture. “You don’t even know me, Jughead Jones. You haven’t even tried to get to know me.”

“Little hard to get to know someone when you travel in separate social circles,” he replies. “You can’t say you know anything about me either.”

“I may not know the ins and outs of your life, Jughead Jones,” Veronica says with the slightest sneer. It’s not the way she had planned on going about this but his calm is disrupting her own. “But I am more than capable of making an educated guess.”

“I’d like to see you try,” he replies, a smirk curling up the corner of his mouth.

Veronica is getting ready to rip into him when her name is called out from the counter. She huffs out a little laugh, “Saved by the bell.”

She slides from the booth and heads over to Pop Tate to collect her food and pay her bill. In the few minutes that she’s gone, Jughead pulls his laptop back out and seems to forget entirely about their conversation. Veronica rolls her eyes and calls out, “Are you coming, Torombolo?”

“What?”

“There’s food and your friends and a Netflix horror binge just calling your name,” Veronica says, holding up one of the bags of food. Jughead continues to look skeptical and makes no move to actually get up from the table. Veronica sighs and leaves the bags of food on the counter as she walks back to the table. She leans over Jughead’s laptop and lowers her voice the tiniest bit. “You were right. Being the good person isn’t my strong suit. It never has been but Betty needs friends right now. Isn’t she worth putting your distrust and judgement to the side for just one night?”

It’s probably a low blow but Veronica’s noticed that the only people he talks to are Betty and Archie. She remembers the moment when they were talking about the lunchtime poll and how his eyes had drifted to Betty and Archie when talking about who he’d spend his final moments with. Either he’ll play along for their sake or he’ll call her on tactics. He stares at her for an uncomfortably long minute, peering into her eyes like he’s looking into her soul. It's like being known and Veronica isn’t sure what to do with the feeling.

“Fine. But only because you’re providing free food,” he mutters, closing his laptop and finally looking away from her. Veronica lets out the breath she was holding and stands up with a triumphant smile on her face. “Don’t go thinking this means we’re friends though, Lodge.”

“I would never,” Veronica says, rolling her eyes. She shoots Smithers a text to bring the SUV to pick them up and grabs the food in both hands. Jughead is nice enough to hold the door open for her but Polly, Betty, and Archie are not waiting for them in the parking lot. “Fuck.”

“Uh, I thought you said that we were hanging out with Betty and Archie,” he says, hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket. “Don’t see anyone out here.”

“They were here when I went inside,” Veronica says with a slight pout. “Maybe they took Polly home after all.”

“Well, in that case, I’m going back inside,” Jughead announces.

“Seriously?” Veronica snaps. She glares at Jughead and holds up both bags of food. “You’re going to let me waste not only money but all of this food? And just spend the rest of your night alone?”

Jughead glares back at her but he keeps looking at the to-go bags full of burgers, fries, and onion rings. She knows that she has him with the offer of free food. She may not know him well but his appetite is legendary at Riverdale High. He groans and rolls his eyes, grabbing one of the bags just as Smithers pulls up in the SUV. Jughead opens the backseat door for her before Smithers even has a chance to get out. She just looks at him with a cocked eyebrow before getting in as elegantly as she can with two bags of food in her hands. Jughead follows after her without any snarky remarks though she can see them building up behind his smirking lips.

“I’m sure you have some sort of commentary right now,” Veronica says and Jughead huffs out a laugh. His smirk loses some of its sharpness and she adds his genuine smile to her list of things she likes about him. It’s right up there with the color of his eyes and the commentary that she dreads just as much as she enjoys.

“And how is it that you’re so sure of this supposed commentary?” Jughead asks, eyes firmly fixed on the window. His hands are still shoved into his jacket pockets and Veronica wonders if the fake fleece that lines the collar is making him warm.

“You’re not as mysterious as you think you are,” she replies with an easy shrug.

“That’s right. You have an educated guess about who I am as a person,” he says, nodding his head. The sarcasm is thick and coating every word that leaves his mouth. “Well, there are no bells to save you this time. Care to share with the class?”

“You think you’re different then the rest of us. That your second hand jeans, ratty beanie, and un-ironic enjoyment of H.P. Lovecraft makes you better than the rest of us. Especially when all you hear about are Friday night dates, pep rallies, and who fucked who at the last rager,” Veronica says, watching his profile. She leans her head back and continues to look at him through her lashes. He’s tense, shoulders hunching up towards his ears and hands dragging his jacket tighter across his chest.

“You think you’re an outsider because you’ve been forced into the role by your insipid peers. But that's not true, not with the perfect girl next door and ex-football captain turned crooning song writer as your best friends. No. You choose to be the outsider because you think it makes you better than the pettiness of high school,” Veronica continues even though she knows she’s probably gone too far. But that’s never stopped her before and even if she’s decided in a drunken stint to be a better person she's not going to let it stop her now.

“And you’re a spoiled brat that doesn’t know how to interact with people without tearing them down. You’ve never had to work for anything so you don’t know how to appreciate it,” Jughead starts as soon as she’s done speaking. Veronica tries to push down the smile that wants to spread across her face. She leans towards him a little, reaching her hand out towards his thigh. She wants him to look at her while he tears her down, wants to see what shade of blue his eyes turn when he’s heated like this. “This whole ‘being a good person’ thing has nothing to do with anyone else. Has nothing to do with making amends for how shitty you’ve been your whole life. It’s just another little project for you to make you feel better about yourself. There’s nothing altruistic about it.”

He finally looks at her and Veronica feels a thrill go through her. She licks her lips and Jughead’s eyes follow the movement. She slowly inches her fingers over his thigh. The muscles clench beneath her fingers but he does nothing to stop her from laying her flat palm on his leg. She doesn't mean to whisper when she says, “If you were anyone else, I think I’d kiss you right now.”

His eyes widen comically and he inhales sharply as they come to a stop in front of the Pembroke and he croaks out, “But since I’m me?”

“I think I’ll wait for you to kiss me instead,” she replies. She doesn’t wait for him to say anything before climbing out of the car. Smithers takes both bags of food and follows her towards through the lobby and to the elevator. Veronica doesn’t  look back to check on Jughead but she can hear his boots against the linoleum floor. It sounds like victory.

The ride up to the penthouse is a quiet one. Jughead glares at his boots and Veronica busies herself scrolling through her various social media accounts. Cheryl has already started a twitter campaign to cancel Veronica Lodge and her “unhinged lackies.” Veronica isn’t surprised. Her notifications are ablaze with Riverdale students either joining in on the insults or trying to discredit Cheryl. By the time they reach the penthouse, Veronica has a clear idea of where everyone in the social elite falls in this battle of Queen Bees.

“You can leave the food in the kitchen, Smithers,” Veronica says with a sigh as she kicks off her heels. “And go get some sleep. We can take care of ourselves.”

“Are you sure, Miss Veronica?” Smithers asks, giving Jughead a pointed look. He’s wandered into the living room, boots still on and hands still in his pockets, and is inspecting her vast DVD collection. “I certainly don’t mind staying close by should you need anything.”

“You’ve done more than enough tonight,” Veronica replies. She leans up and kisses his cheek. “Thank you for tonight. Promise I won’t be harassing you at two in the morning again anytime soon.”

“If you’re sure, Miss Veronica,” Smithers says, taking her hand in his own. He frowns over at Jughead again. “Please page me if you need anything at all. I’m only a few floors away should you need any assistance.”

“You worry more than my mother, Smithers,” Veronica says, shaking her head. She gives him a fond smile and squeezes his fingers a little. They both know just how true her statement is. “Go home.”

Smithers gives her one more, lingering look before finally making his way out of the penthouse. Veronica rubs at the back of her neck and goes to the kitchen to unpack the food. She doesn’t bother trying to be polite as she shouts for Jughead to join her.

“You know for a vapid socialite, you have a pretty impressive movie collection,” he says as he walks into the kitchen.

“Is that a compliment?” she asks, as she shoves an entire onion ring in her mouth.

“A backhanded one, yeah,” he replies as he copies her, shoving two onion rings into his mouth. He doesn’t even bother to finish chewing before he speaks again. “I mean, this is assuming that those are actually yours and not your parents’.”

“As if Hermione and Hiram Lodge have any taste when it comes to movies,” Veronica mutters, rolling her eyes. She sighs and looks at all of the food that she’d ordered. “There’s no way that we’re going to finish all of this.”

“Oh ye of little faith,” Jughead says before inhaling half a burger in two bites. “Though the lack of milkshakes is a fatal flaw to this Pop’s feast.”

Veronica holds up a finger. She has some class and refuses to talk with a mouthful of food. She opens the fridge and pulls out two beers, sliding one to Jughead as she opens her own against the marble countertop. He raises an eyebrow at her little party trick and she waves a hand at him as she explains, “You go to enough parties and you learn a few tricks.”

“Well, I’m not the partying type,” he says, sliding the unopened beer back across the counter to her. “Anything non-alcoholic?”

“You don’t drink?”

“The Jones family have the long-standing honor of being the town drunks,” Jughead says as he shoves french fries into the remnants of his burger.  “I don’t plan on continuing the tradition.”

“You’re rather blunt about it,” Veronica says slowly. She’s not used to that kind of bluntness. Not about one’s flaws. She gets him a sparkling water that he rolls his eyes at before opening it and taking a long drink.

“No point in hiding it in a small town,” Jughead says. He finishes his burger and starts to assemble another with onion rings this time. She almost tells him off her dipping into her onion rings even if there are more than she could eat. “Everyone knows everyone’s business already.”

“Everyone knows what you are so wear it like armor so it won’t hurt you,” Veronica agrees with a sagely nod as she sips from her beer. Jughead stares at her with wide eyes, burger halfway to his mouth. “What?”

“I can’t believe you just used a Game of Thrones reference so casually,” he says with a small chuckle. She pouts and throws an onion ring at him. “I mean, I thought I was a nerd but you don’t see me using fictional character’s wisdom as my own.”

“If it's good enough for the masses then it's good enough for me,” Veronica says with a flippant wave of her hand. She grabs her onion rings and digs out Betty’s chicken strips to take to the living room with her. “I believe I promised Netflix movies as well as our body weight in fried food?”

“Pretty sure you said something along those lines,” he replies, copying her and gathering as much food as he can in his hands. He’s even considerate enough to grab her beer along with his water before following her into the living room. “Though I feel like your butler is going to magically appear to scold us for eating in the living room like a couple of heathens.”

“Does he have a British accent and a secret fondness for his ward in this fantasy of yours? Maybe sings songs and knows how to get to secret worlds where everything is made of cartoons?” Veronica asks as she turns on the TV and pulls Netflix up. Jughead doesn’t even bother responding to her inquiry, just sits down next to her and takes the remote away so that he can choose what they watch.

They’re on episode two of Haunting of Hill House when he finally breaks the companionable silence that they’ve been sharing, “Do you really think that I’ll kiss you?”

“I wouldn’t discount it,” she mutters, an onion ring pressed against her lips. She’s enthralled by the show and had almost forgotten her little comment from the car ride over. “Why?”

“I mean, you don’t even know me,” Jughead says. She opens her mouth to disagree but he continues speaking without looking at her. “I mean, not really. Tonight is the first time we’ve even had a conversation.”

Veronica pauses the show and puts her food down on the coffee table, turning her entire body to face him on the couch. He’s still staring at the TV with a frown on his face. Veronica can see the worry lines between his eyebrows and wants to reach over to smooth them out with a finger.

“What do you even see in me? I mean, I’m not exactly the type of guy that girls worry about kissing. Especially not girls like you,” Jughead continues. “And what makes you think that I even want to kiss you? That that’s something that would interest me? I could be gay. I could be in a relationship already. I could be into fucking tentacle porn for fuck’s sake! You don’t even know!”

Veronica rolls her eyes and wipes her hands on her skirt before scooting closer to him on the couch. She touches his jaw, feather light, and turns his face towards her. He trails off talking, eyes blown wide as he stares at her. She moves slowly as if he were an animal she’s afraid of spooking but he doesn’t try and stop her. She smooths the corner of his mouth with her thumb and whispers, “Do you want me to stop?”

He shakes his head, a tiny movement that she barely feels. She can’t help the smile that spreads across her face. Her stomach flutters a little and she leans up, chest pressing against his arm just as she brushes her mouth against his. He jerks back like it stings but she follows after him, pressing her mouth against his again just a little harder than before. Its enough to spur him into action.

He cups the back of her head and Veronica slides her fingers up his jaw and into his hair. She dislodges the hideous beanie that he’s still wearing and bites at his bottom lip. He gasps into her mouth and Veronica takes the chance to soothe the sting with her tongue. He moans slightly and turns his body towards her finally, gripping her waist with his free hand. Veronica pulls away to catch her breath and Jughead continues to kiss down her neck, sucking at the spot just below her ear.

“So I’m guessing you aren’t gay,” she pants as she shifts to straddle his lap. She can feel his hardness through his jeans and can’t help grinding down on it. He groans and pulls away from her neck to glare at her. It just makes her grind down on him again. “Unless I’m reading this wrong.”

“Are you always this insufferable when you’re making out with someone?” he mutters. He grips her hips with both hands and rocks up into her, making her breath stutter. “Doesn’t really seem like the best way to get someone in the mood.”

“And yet,” she says, pulling her shirt off and smirking at the way his fingers flex. “Here we are.”

“Here we are,” he repeats, leaning up to kiss along her collarbone. Veronica sighs and buries her hands into his hair, jealous at how soft and thick it is. She bets he doesn’t even do anything to get such wonderful hair. He slides his hands up her sides, fingers dipping under the bands of her bra. His breath is cool against her spit slick skin when he whispers. “I’m not even going to pretend I know how to unclasp this thing.”

Veronica laughs and reaches back to undo it for him when her phone starts to ring. She rolls her eyes and pouts before sliding off of his lap to find her phone crushed in the couch cushions. She frowns when she sees that it’s Cheryl calling. Jughead pulls on Veronica’s ankle until she’s laying down and he’s positioned between her thighs. She raises an eyebrow as he kisses up her calf.

“I’m sure I’m going to regret this,” she says as her ringtone goes off again. Jughead groans against her thigh but she answers anyways. “Cheryl?”

“Oh thank god!” the person on the other line says. A person who is decidedly not Cheryl. “She picked up!”

“Tell her to come over!” another person says in the background. Veronica sits up, pushing Jughead away from her in the process.

“Who is this?” Veronica asks. She thinks she recognizes the voices but it doesn’t make any sense that they would be calling from Cheryl’s phone. “Where is Cheryl?”

“It’s Archie,” Archie says, voice panicked and unsure. “Betty told me to call you and just. Can you come back to Thornhill?”

“Why are you calling me from Cheryl’s phone? Why did you guys go back there?” Veronica asks, reaching for her shirt. Jughead frowns and waves his hands in her face, trying to get her attention. “What happened?”

“Just get here as soon as you can, okay?” Archie says quickly before hanging up the phone. Veronica stares at the blank screen for a minute before shaking her head and getting dressed.

“What was that?” Jughead asks, watching her from the couch.

“I don’t know but something happened at Thornhill,” Veronica replies as she goes to the kitchen. There’s a spare key for the SUV and she refuses to wake up Smithers when she has no idea what she’s walking into. “Something involving Archie and Betty.”

“Are they okay?” Jughead asks as he follows after her. He adjusts himself in his pants and Veronica’s mind goes blank for a second. Jughead snaps his fingers at her, smirking a little. “Get your head out of the gutter, Lodge, something’s up with our friends.”

She tries to contain her pleased smile when he refers to them as her friends as well as his own but considering the way Jughead rolls his eyes, she knows that she fails at it. Veronica pulls the keys from the junk drawer and tosses them to JUghead saying, “I hope you know how to drive.”

“Theoretically,” he mumbles, barely catching the keys to his chest. “Why can’t you drive?”

“The fact that you’re even asking that is laughable,” Veronica says as she slides on her heels again and heads towards the front door. “I grew up in New York City. Do you honestly think I’ve spent any time behind the wheel of a motor vehicle?”

“Fair point,” Jughead replies as they head to the elevator. The ride down is a quiet one. Quiet and filled with tension. Neither of them is sure what to expect once they get to Thornhill. Veronica looks over at Jughead and finds herself grateful that she doesn’t have to deal with this alone. The thought has barely crossed her mind before Jughead is reaching for her hand and intertwining their fingers together. Veronica looks down before looking up at him. He’s already watching her, blue eyes unreadable. “It’ll be okay. I’m sure of it.”

Veronica lets out a slow breath and nods in agreement. He doesn’t let go of her hand until they get in the car and she is eternally grateful for it.

The ride to Thornhill is filled with idle chit chat, passing theories back and forth about Hill House mostly. Veronica knows that they’re just talking about anything other than what they could face when they get to Cheryl’s. It could be nothing. It could be everything. Either way, neither of them are willing to talk about it out loud.

All of the cars from the party are gone when they pull in. Veronica tries not to think about the number of drunk college students that drove away from the party. It’s not why they’re there, anyways. Jughead grabs her hand again as they head to the front door. Archie opens it before they even have a chance to knock, brown eyes wide with worry. He doesn’t even say anything about Jughead being with her before dragging them both inside the house and slamming the door shut behind them.

“Archie, man, what is going on?” Jughead asks, grabbing Archie by both shoulders. Veronica looks around the foyer, noticing that neither Betty or Polly are with him. “Where’s Betty?”

“Where’s Cheryl?” Veronica interrupts. Archie looks at her over Jughead’s shoulder with terrified eyes. “Archie, what happened?”

“Oh good, you’re here,” Betty says as she comes down the main stairway. Her hair is free from the ponytail and it looks like she’s been crying but she’s calm. Calmer than Archie at the very least. “Come upstairs.”

“What’s upstairs?” Veronica asks not taking a step forward.

“Cheryl’s body.”


	2. the me inside of me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING BUT I'M DOING IT.

Cheryl’s arranged on the bed like she fell asleep but her eyes are still open and staring. Veronica can’t make herself look away, can’t close her eyes against Cheryl’s lifeless stare. There’s a buzzing in her ears that she can’t ignore. She’s sure there’s something that she could be doing right now, something that she could be saying but she can’t tear her eyes from the paleness of Cheryl’s cheeks, the stillness of her chest. Her vision blurs and there are tears on her cheeks but there’s nothing inside her. She feels empty. Empty the way Cheryl’s eyes are. 

“Veronica,” Jughead mutters, stepping in front of her and cupping her face. “Stay with me. Come on, stay with me here.”

“Jughead,” she mumbles. Her eyes start to drift back to Cheryl’s prone form but he ducks his head down to catch her eyes again, shaking his head. “What do we do?”

“We call the cops!” Archie shouts from behind them. He’s pacing back and forth, hands buried in his hair and tugging. “We call the cops and explain that it was an accident. Sheriff Keller will get it. He’s a good guy. He’s known us our whole lives. He’ll understand. He’ll have to.”

“We’re not calling the cops,” Betty says. She’s sitting on the chaise lounge in the corner, Polly’s head in her lap, and her eyes firmly fixed on Archie. She hasn’t looked at Cheryl since bringing Veronica and Jughead upstairs. She’s actively avoided looking at the dead body in the bed. 

“Why not?” Veronica asks, voice cracking. Her chest feels tight and her tears are starting to get out of control. She can feel the panic building in her body and she doesn’t know what to do with it. She’s never felt this way. Veronica Lodge does not panic. She’s calm, cool and collected. She’s been that way since she was five and snuck into her parents bedroom to watch IT with them. “Why the fuck wouldn’t we call someone? Cheryl is dead!”

“And calling the cops isn’t going to bring her back,” Betty says, turning her steely gaze to Veronica. “All that’s going to do is get Polly locked away and who knows what would happen to us.”

“Nothing would happen to us because we didn’t do anything!” Veronica screams. She covers her mouth as soon as the words are out of her mouth, smothering her sobs. Jughead pulls her to his chest, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She lets him, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding tight.

“What happened?” Jughead asks.

“Jason texted,” Betty says with a sigh, looking down at Polly again. Polly is passed out, mouth hanging open and face relaxed. Betty keeps combing her fingers through her sister’s hair but it’s mechanical like she’s programmed to do it. “Or. We thought it was Jason. You know how she is when it comes to him. She ran off before we could stop her and we just chased after her. What else were we supposed to do?”

“But it wasn’t Jason,” Jughead says with a sigh. Veronica pulls away from him and looks up with the question in her eye. She’s missing something, something about Jason and Polly, about the Blossoms and the Coopers, but Jughead just shakes his head. She makes a note to ask him about it later. 

“It wasn’t,” Betty agrees. “Jason had left and Cheryl was the only one home and she was hammered, way more than when we first left the party. I don’t know what happened after we left. She must have fought with Jason or something. I can’t think of any other reason why she would act the way that she did.”

“How was she acting?” Jughead asks. His hold on her has relaxed but Veronica hasn’t pulled away from him. She’s sure that if she did all of her focus would go back to Cheryl and she can’t do that, won’t do that to herself. “I mean it’s Cheryl. How much worse could she be than she usually is?”

Betty looks at Jughead through her lashes and then at Archie. The three of them seem to understand each other without saying a word, leaving Veronica in the dark. She looks up at Jughead, the question clear on her face again. Jughead sighs and finally pulls away from Veronica before explaining, “Jason got Polly pregnant their senior year. They were going to run away together. Get married. Raise the baby together. The whole deal.”

“But they didn’t,” Veronica finished for him. 

“Clifford Blossom threatened to cut Jason out of his inheritance,” Betty says. Polly whimpers in her sleep, smooth face twisting with a frown. Betty shushes her and smooths the wrinkle between her eyebrows. Once Polly is calm again, Betty continues. “And when that didn’t work, Penelope threatened to sue for full custody. Said she would take the twins and make sure Polly never saw them, would raise them thinking Jason was their brother instead of their father.”

“Jesus Christ,” Veronica mutters under her breath. 

“With the Blossom fortune at their disposal they could have done it, too,” Archie says. He’s finally stopped his pacing, eyes watching Betty closely. “They almost ran my dad out of business a few years ago and that was just because he’d ran against Clifford for chairman of the school board. Over something this big? Who knows what they would have done?”

“I’m guessing they got their way?” Veronica asks. Betty just nods. “And Cheryl brought it up when you guys came back.”

“Brought it up is an understatement,” Archie says. He runs both hands over his face before going over to Betty. He perches himself on the arm of the chaise lounge and Betty leans into him without hesitation. “They’ve kept up with the twins. They get letters and videos and shit. For years. They forced Polly into giving them up for adoption and then didn’t even tell her that it was an open adoption.”

“So how does this all lead to a dead Cheryl?” Jughead asks, voicing the question that’s been at the back of Veronica’s mind since they walked through the door. “Cheryl’s a bitch. There’s nothing new about that. How does she end up dead and you guys calling Veronica?”

Archie and Betty look at each other, having a silent conversation that Veronica can’t decipher. She’s sure that they’re deciding whether or not to be honest. It seems to be a moot point considering Veronica and Jughead are there, considering that they haven’t called the cops yet. Archie finally nods but it’s reluctant, nervous almost. Veronica keeps her eyes on him when Betty explains, “We know that you’re good at forgeries. We need you to write a suicide letter. From Cheryl.”

“A suicide letter?” Jughead asks with a scoff. Archie’s eyes keep darting to Cheryl and back to Betty. He’s not on board with this. At least, not all the way, but it’s Betty so he’s agreeing. “You want to cover this up? Whatever this is?”

“Polly poisoned her,” Betty says quickly, quietly. “She got into Penelope’s tinctures and spiked her water and poisoned her, okay? There’s nothing really to imply that this was a murder though. We can pass it off as a suicide and no one would ever know. No one knows that we came back here. No one is even home.”

“Do you hear yourself?” Veronica asks, voice just as quiet as Betty’s. “Do you seriously hear yourself right now?”

“You think I don’t know how insane all of this is?” Betty snaps. She huffs and runs a shaking hand through her hair. At least that’s something. At least Veronica can see that she’s slightly bothered by this, that she isn’t so broken by Cheryl’s years of endless taunting that this isn’t touching her. “I know, Veronica, okay? I just. I want to protect my sister. She’s been through enough.”

“Arch?” Jughead says. “You can’t be okay with this. You can’t.”

“What else are we supposed to do, Jug?” Archie asks. 

“Five minutes ago you were all for calling the cops,” Jughead replies. Veronica’s impressed that he’s managed to stay calm. That he’s somehow been the rock that she clings to in this sea of chaos. 

“You’ve known Polly just as long as I have, Jug,” Archie says, ignoring Jughead’s comment. “She’s like a sister to both of us. She’s looked out for us so many times before. Shouldn’t we help her this one time?”

“Covering up a murder isn’t help!” Jughead shouts, disrupting Polly’s sleep. She blinks awake for a second, confusion clouding her face, before she slowly falls back asleep. “God, is she still fucked up from the party?”

“I gave her a xanax,” Betty mumbles. “She was out of control. It was the only thing we could do.”

“Look, I know all of this is insane,” Archie says, taking a step towards Veronica and Jughead. “I know that but it was an accident! A mistake!”

“It doesn’t sound like a mistake, Arch,” Jughead mutters, shaking his head. Betty’s watching Jughead closely and Veronica feels something clench in her stomach. She doesn’t like the analyzing look in Betty’s eye, doesn’t like the very obvious implication that she’ll do anything to protect her sister. “You don’t just accidentally poison someone.” 

“I’ll do it,” Veronica says with a nod. Jughead turns to her with wide eyes and a protest on his lips. She glares at him, trying to get him to see there’s no way out of this. Not at that moment. “Polly is a mess. She was a mess before she even left the party. I’m sure Archie’s right and it was just a mistake. You know? A prank gone wrong.”

“Exactly!” Archie shouts, instantly latching onto what she’s saying. Veronica nods at him and sees the relief on his face, can feel the same relief rushing through her veins. “That’s exactly it! A prank gone wrong but you know the Blossoms would never see it that way. They’d get Polly locked up for the rest of her life.”

“And we can’t let that happen,” Veronica says, turning back to Jughead. She raises her eyebrows, willing him to agree with her. Practically begging him to agree with her. “Can we, Jughead?”

He watches her for a long minute before his shoulders relax and he sighs in defeat. He nods and Veronica relaxes just the tiniest bit until Betty speaks, “Thanks, Juggie. You have no idea how much this means to me- to Polly. Both of you. Seriously. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Veronica replies, resisting the urge to emphasize how much she wants them to not mention this night ever again. She runs a hand through her hair before heading towards Cheryl’s desk. She’s done Cheryl’s handwriting enough times in the few months that she’s been at Riverdale High, filling out her homework on days when Cheryl couldn’t be bothered to do it herself. It should be easy enough to forge a letter. “Just tell me what to write.”

Betty finally moves away from Polly, gently putting her head down on a pillow as she stands up, to join Veronica at the desk. She leans over Veronica’s shoulder speaking softly into her ear. The letter they pen together is full of the usual cliches about suicide. The hopelessness. The loneliness. The never-ending sadness. When Veronica reads it out loud, Jughead scoffs and shakes his head, “How is anyone going to believe that Cheryl wrote that? It’s too cliche, too much like something from an after-school special.”

“Then what do you suggest?” Veronica asks, frowning down at the letter. “I mean, it’s Cheryl. We’ll be lucky if anyone believes that she was ever suicidal to begin with. I mean, HBIC taking her own life? Yeah right.”

“Well,” Jughead says, pulling on his bottom lip a little. “Say something about how being HBIC was never what she wanted. How she doesn’t have any real friends because of it. How she had to abandon being a human, basically,just to make it through high school.”

“That’s good,” Veronica mutters as she pens a new letter. She bites her bottom lip and pauses halfway through. “Should we say anything about her parents? I mean, just from that story about Polly and Jason they sound like a trip.”

“They’re almost never in town,” Betty offers. “That’s something.”

“And they always liked Jason more,” Archie contributes. “They were always right up front for all of Jason’s football games. I don’t think I’ve seen them on the field once since he graduated.”

“So, she’s alone a lot,” Veronica says with a nod. She feels a twinge of pity for Cheryl as she writes the letter. She knows what it’s like to be left alone in a giant home all the time. She knows what it’s like to have money thrown at you instead of actual affection. Veronica has her moments with her mother but her father has always been guilty of the same things that they’re condemning the Blossoms for. She tries to turn her mind off as she signs the letter with a flourish. “There. It’s done.”

“Not quite,” Betty mutters. She takes the letter over to Cheryl’s corpse and they all watch as Betty pushes at Cheryl’s face until her lips are pursed. She presses a bright red kiss mark next to Cheryl’s signature before gently placing it on the side table. “Now it’s done.”

“What the fuck, Betty?” Veronica snaps.

“She signs all of her letters this way,” Betty says. “Trust me on this one.”

“Right,” Veronica hisses. She doesn’t think before grabbing onto Jughead and pulling him close as she stands up. “Let’s get out of here. Now.”

Archie lifts Polly into his arms, just as eager to leave as the rest of them. Betty stays back a minute, saying something about evidence and making sure nothing has been left behind. The words send another chill down Veronica’s spine. She wonders if she’ll ever stop being slightly terrified of Betty Cooper after tonight. 

They all pile into Veronica’s SUV and Jughead drives them back to the Pembroke. The penthouse is still the only parent-free establishment and Veronica knows without being asked that Betty would rather sleep on her couch than try to get Polly through the door of her house. Once inside, Veronica guides Archie to drop Polly off in her parents’ room before showing him and Betty the guest room. Just before the door shuts, Betty reaches for Veronica’s wrist. She holds it tight and looks at Veronica with big, green eyes as she whispers, “Thank you, Veronica. So much.”

“What are friends for?” Veronica asks, trying to smile but knowing that it doesn’t reach her eyes. Betty’s face doesn’t change, doesn’t seem to notice how stiff Veronica is. Veronica wiggles her wrist free and tucks a strand of Betty’s hair behind her ear. “Get some sleep. We can talk more in the morning.”

Jughead is shoving cold fries into his mouth when she steps into the kitchen again. She can’t help but laugh a little when he looks at her with wide eyes like she caught him doing something truly diabolical. He has enough decency to swallow his food before speaking, “The crazies are all put to bed?”

“Those crazies are your best friends, remember?” Veronica asks. She leans over the counter and frowns when he continues to eat. “How are you even hungry right now?”

“I eat when I’m upset,” Jughead mutters with a shrug. “Plus I don’t want this stuff to go to waste.”

“Thanks for making that sacrifice,” Veronica says, watching him continue to shove food in his mouth. The silence in the kitchen drags on until Veronica can’t stand it anymore. “Do you hate me for helping her?”

“Do you hate me for not stopping you and calling the cops?” he counters. He wipes his greasy hands on his shirt before moving around the counter to stand in front of her. He cups her face, fingertips tangling in her hair, and tilts her head back. Veronica sighs and relaxes into his hands, reaching up to hold his wrists. “So much for a first date, huh?”

“You’re calling tonight a date?” Veronica asks with a laugh. She rubs her thumbs back and forth over the pulse points on both of his wrists. “You have low standards, Jones.”

“I’m sure you could raise them up a bit,” he mutters, eyes flicking to her mouth. “But, if you haven’t noticed, there isn’t much to do in Riverdale. I think covering up a murder is going to be the most exciting date you’re going to get around here.”

“How fucked up are we that we’re joking about it?” Veronica asks, frowning. “How fucked up are we that we’re not that bothered by it?”

“Oh, we definitely could do with some counseling,” Jughead says with a slightly crooked smile. She can’t help smiling back a little, rolling her eyes at his bad joke. The smile fades from his face slowly though as his eyes get stormy and concerned. “You’re okay, though?”

“You’re awfully caring and concerned for someone I just met,” Veronica points out just to avoid answering the question. “I mean. You barely know me. I could be into tentacle porn.”

“Ha ha,” Jughead says. “Come on, Lodge. No avoiding the question. You’re okay?”

Veronica nods a little before sighing and leaning her head against Jughead’s chest. The steady beat of his heart soothes some of the lingering tension from the night as she wraps her arms around his waist. He wraps his arms around her shoulders and Veronica says, “I just want to go to bed and forget this night ever happened.”

“Yeah,” Jughead agrees. He holds her for a little longer before coughing slightly and pulling away. “I guess I’ll get going then.”

“Why?”

“So you can sleep?” he replies, scratching at the back of his neck. “That’s what you want right? To go to bed?”

“Did I say anything about going to bed alone?” Veronica asks, looking up at him with raised eyebrows. She swears that he starts to blush just then. “Unless you don’t want to stay?”

“I want to stay,” he blurts out. He coughs a little, trying to save face. “I definitely want to stay.”

“Good,” Veronica says with a nod. She takes his hand and slowly starts walking backwards towards her bedroom. “Very good, Torombolo.”

“I hope you don’t snore,” he says quietly as they pass the rooms with Polly, Betty, and Archie. “I value my beauty rest, you know.”

“I can tell by those bags under your eyes,” Veronica replies as they walk into her bedroom. “Do you have to check them when you travel or do they count as carry-ons?”

“Bold of you to assume that I travel,” he replies as she kicks off her shoes. He stands awkwardly by the dresser as she changes into her sleep clothes. She doesn’t take the time to be modest, stripping in front of him boldly. He’s decent enough to look away when she undoes her bra and drops it next to her pile of clothes. “So.”

Veronica raises an eyebrow as she pulls on her pajamas, “So?”

“Should I sleep on the floor or something?” he asks and Veronica laughs a little. “What?”

“Two hours ago we were making out on my couch and now you're pulling the modesty card?” Veronica says as she climbs onto her bed. “I specifically said I didn’t want to go to bed alone. Pretty sure there was a heavy implication that you'd be joining me up here.”

“I’m trying to be gentlemanly,” Jughead mutters as he shrugs off his jacket. She watches him take his boots off and pauses with his hands at his belt. Veronica just raises her eyebrows and nods for him to continue before he's yanking his belt off with a renewed purpose. “Isn’t that what you rich girls want? A gentleman?”

“I don’t know about other rich girls,” Veronica mutters as he takes off his jeans and shuffles towards the bed. “But this rich girl wants you just the way you are, Jughead Jones.”

He pauses for a second, eyes trailing up her legs and pausing at her chest before landing on her eyes. She tries to show him how much she means it, how earnest she is at this exact moment. He must see it because he relaxes just a fraction, reaching up to take off his beanie before climbing onto the bed. 

Veronica lies back against the pillows and opens her arms for him, throwing her leg over his own when he sinks into her embrace. She wants to say something. Wants to let him know how much it means that he was there tonight, that he stayed with her but the words won’t form on her lips. Instead she holds him close and presses a kiss to the top of his head. He grips her hip and presses his own kiss to her collarbone before settling against the pillows next to her. They’re both so exhausted that it doesn’t take long for them both to fall into a deep sleep. 

-

The news of Cheryl’s death spreads around Riverdale like wildfire. There isn’t a single person who hasn’t heard the news. Not a single person who doesn’t have an opinion on the untimely death of such a vibrant part of the community. The halls of Riverdale High aren’t immune to the whispers either. Veronica walks the hallways on Monday morning, trying to ignore the way eyes follow her every step.

“V,” Josie greets her at her locker, eyes glued to her phone. “Want to explain what exactly happened Saturday night?”

“There was a party. It got out of hand,” Veronica says easily enough. “I left. Apparently, Cheryl offed herself shortly after. According to the gossip mill, at least.”

“You’re leaving out the part where Cheryl put you on blast for hanging out with, town psycho Polly Cooper,” Josie mutters, turning her phone around to show off Cheryl’s twitter feed. Josie raises an eyebrow and purses her lips, trying to suppress the smile that’s curling up at the corner of her mouth. “Care to share?”

“What do you care?” Veronica asks, pushing Josie’s phone away with a scoff. She grabs the rest of her books and slams her locker shut. She spots Jughead at the end of the hall, headphones on and eyes glued to the notebook in his hands. “We got into a bit of a tiff. A drunken tiff, mind you. Nothing worth talking about.”

“Tell that to her Twitter feed,” Josie says with a small laugh. She loops her arm through Veronica’s and guides her in the opposite direction of Jughead. “I never really pegged Cheryl as the type to commit suicide though.”

“Crazy, isn’t it?” Veronica mutters. She looks over her shoulder again but Jughead is talking with a short, pink-haired girl that she doesn’t recognize. “Who would’ve thought?”

“I mean, I’ve known Cheryl, like, my entire life,” Josie continues. She pops her gum and Veronica cringes a little. “And, yeah, she was dramatic but killing herself? That’s not my girl.”

“I mean, can we really know anyone?” Veronica asks. Josie gives her a look before rolling her eyes. “You can’t know everything going on in a person’s life and if it weren’t suicide we’d know by now, right? It’s not like anyone can keep a secret in this small of a town.”

“Fair but it still doesn’t seem like Cheryl,” Josie says with a sigh. The warning bell rings for first period and Josie groans. “You know, they should just give us the day off to grieve or whatever.”

“I don’t see much grieving going on, Jos,” Veronica says as she frees her arm from Josie’s grasp and shifts her books around. “Pretty sure the sharks are just scenting the blood in the waters.”

“Wow, V, that’s cold,” Josie says, scoffing a little. She looks Veronica up and down. “Even for you.”

Veronica raises her eyebrows, “And what is that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, please, Ice Queen,” Josie replies. “Playing dumb doesn’t suit you. I’ll see you at lunch.”

Veronica watches Josie meet up with the rest of the Pussycats before heading to her first period class. Veronica tries to shake the sinking feeling in her stomach, tries to ignore the guilt that’s stirring in her chest. She’d gotten used to the Ice Queen title while in New York but, for some reason, she thought she’d escaped it here in Riverdale. Hearing it said again so casually stings. Stings more than she’d like to admit. The bell rings jarring Veronica out of her thoughts and she rushes through the door of her class. 

“Thank you for joining us, Miss Lodge,” Miss Grundy says as Veronica takes her seat at the back of the classroom. Veronica tries to smile but it feels mechanical. “Though considering the most recent events, I can understand if we’re all a bit shaken up this morning.”

“Ding dong, the witch is dead!” Reggie snarks from his corner of the classroom. The class snickers a little before Grundy shushes them all.

“Mr. Mantle, one of your fellow classmates took their own life this weekend,” Miss Grundy mutters sternly, glaring at him over the rim of her glasses. “Can we please try to have some respect for the dead?”

“It’s not like she ever had any respect for anyone when she was alive,” Reggie continues, ignoring the way the rest of the class has grown tense and quiet. No one may have liked Cheryl but Miss Grundy’s reminder of how she died seems to have sobered the cruelest of her classmates.

“I think you’ll be surprised to find out how wrong you are, Mr. Mantle,” Miss Grundy mutters as she pulls a stack of papers from her bag. She hands them out quickly and Veronica nearly chokes when she sees the suicide note that she’d written sitting in front of her. “I managed to get a copy of Miss Blossom’s suicide note and I think it’s important for each of you to truly understand your classmate. Not only so that we can properly honor her memory but also so that we can properly grieve her passing.”

“How did you get this?” Dilton Doiley asks after raising his hand from the front row. 

“An investigator never reveals her sources, Mr. Dilton,” Miss Grundy replies with a sniff. She pushes her glasses up her nose and sits on the edge of her desk. 

Veronica raises her eyebrows at the relaxed posture. They all knew that in her glory days, Geraldine Grundy had been part of the flower power movement but whatever free-love that had flowed through her veins forty years ago had long dried up by the time she started teaching at Riverdale High. Veronica can only guess that she’s trying to channel some of that long-gone cool to connect with her students.

“Now, what I want you all to do is read the letter. Absorb what’s being said. Process it,” Miss Grundy says, articulating each sentence with a wave of her hands. Veronica glances around the room to see if anyone else finds this whole moment ridiculous or if she’s alone in that but everyone’s eyes are glued to the sheet in front of them. “I’m going to give everyone a few minutes and then we’re going to share.”

Dilton’s hand is up again, “What exactly are we supposed to be sharing?”

“Your feelings, Mr. Doiley,” Miss Grundy says. She sighs and looks up at the ceiling. “And before you ask: no, your answer will not affect your overall grade for the class. Though I will assign participation points to anyone who speaks up during the sharing period.”

“Miss Grundy?” Ethel asks from her seat next to Dilton. “Why are we doing this?”

“Because, Miss Muggs,” Miss Grundy says grandly. “In this day and age of social media, it’s getting harder and harder to find that human connection that’s so important to not only your young lives but to all of our lives. We’re all so plugged in that we’re missing the very real, very obvious pain that we are in, that our classmates and colleagues are in. My intention, my hope is that through this practice we as a school can break through the drudgery of everyday life and find something truly worthwhile.”

Veronica can’t help the laugh that bubbles up at the back of her throat. It’s loud and harsh and bordering on hysterical but it’s out before she can stop it. The entire classroom turns to look at her with wide eyes and she expertly morphs the laughter into ugly tears. She’s surprised to find that after only a few seconds, what started as fake quickly become painfully real. 

Miss Grundy claps her hands together and thrusts them towards Veronica as she shouts, “Yes! Let it out! Express your grief! Be free, here, in this moment!”

Veronica covers her face with her hands and tries to pull herself together. The rest of the class doesn’t bother to pay her too much attention as they continue with the discussion at hand. 

“I’m surprised that she was so insecure,” Ethel offers. “I never knew - never would have guessed that she was just like everyone else in that respect.”

“Yes, Ethel! Empathize with her,” Miss Grundy encourages. “Anyone else?”

“It's interesting to see the guilt, the selflessness, of her thought process,” Dilton says next. “I mean, suicide always seemed so selfish, you know? You never know what you’re depriving the future of, the ways that you could change the world but, for Cheryl, I guess she didn’t have that optimism?”

“A little clinical, Mr. Doiley, but yes!” Miss Grundy mutters. Veronica finally looks up and sees the grimace on her face. “Anyone else?”

A couple of other people hold their hands up but the speaker prevents Miss Grundy from calling on anyone else, “Good morning students, this is Principal Weatherbee. I’m sure, by now, most of you have heard of the tragic passing of your fellow student Cheryl Blossom. In honor of her memory and to allow you all a moment to grieve her passing, classes for the rest of the day have been cancelled.”

The rest of Weatherbee’s message is drowned out by the scraping of chairs and the rustling of bags. Miss Grundy shouts after them about being open with their grief and letting their emotions free but Veronica notices that more than half of the class left the copy of the suicide note on their desk. 

-

The rest of the week devolves from there. Veronica watches as the halls are lined with pictures of Cheryl in her cheer leading uniform with RIP photoshopped across the bottom. The yearbook committee holds an emergency meeting to plan the memorial two-page spread honoring Cheryl’s memory. Betty tells her about the meeting that she had with Weatherbee requesting that the suicide, that teen suicide as a whole, be the top story for the next issue of the Blue & Gold. The Vixens manage to pull out black uniforms that the squad has to wear for the pep rally that won’t be cancelled so that they can properly show their mourning. 

By Friday, Veronica is ready to snap. 

“It’s insane!” Veronica complains as she shoves onion rings into her burger. Jughead just raises his eyebrows at her from the other side of the table as he finishes off his fries. “The entire school hated her -  _ hated _ her but now they’re acting like she was the perfect person. Everyone’s best friend. Boo hoo, we all miss her so much.”

“Careful now, Veronica, you’re sounding awfully petty,” Jughead mutters. He sips from his milkshake, the slurp of an empty glass ringing out on the nearly empty diner. Veronica doesn’t think before sliding him the rest of her shake. She can always order another one. “I mean, no one wants to speak badly of the dead. It’s bad taste.”

“I’m not asking anyone to speak badly,” Veronica says, shaking her head. “Just that we all stop lying about who she was. Isn’t that just as disrespectful?”

“I mean, even with all the bullshit that’s floating around about her, school hasn’t been nearly as vicious as it was before,” Jughead says with a shrug. “It’s not exactly like we’re worse off than we were before the woobification of Cheryl Blossom.”

Veronica groans and gives up on her burger, pushing the plate towards Jughead as well. He doesn’t complain as he happily digs into her left over food. She sighs and pulls her phone out, reading over the Vixen group text. They’re planning a special routine for the pep rally. Something extra that would have made Cheryl probably scream about ruining her perfectly curated choreography but Ginger insists that it’s entirely to honor her memory. Veronica bites her lip and sends a thumbs-up emoji instead of reminding Ginger that her title as cheer captain is temporary until they can hold proper elections. 

“You’re brooding,” Jughead says, reaching out to snag her phone. He frowns as he reads through the group chat. “Jesus, is cheer leading really so intense to spark this kind of debate? I didn’t even know that Ginger knew how to spell extravaganza.”

“I’m pretty sure she doesn’t,” Veronica replies as she takes her phone back. “Auto correct is probably the only reason anything she texts is legible.”

“Does she really expect you all to wear your Vixen uniforms to the funeral tomorrow?” he asks. “While you in a mini-skirt is always a thrilling image, I don’t think it’ll be as respectful as Ginger thinks.”

“I’m not going,” Veronica says. “It would be too weird.”

“Not going would be weird,” Jughead points out. “The whole town is going to be there. If you’re not there, too, people will talk. Especially since your water works display during first period on Monday.”

“It was either turn up the water works or laugh my ass off,” Veronica reminds him. “I could claim that it’s too much to bear. That I just can’t handle saying goodbye to my best friend.”

“Best friend? Isn’t that a little much?” Jughead asks. 

“I don’t think calling her my best frenemy works very well in this current political climate,” Veronica says with a small smirk. “Though I suppose you have a point about her funeral. If only a certain gallant gentleman would offer to escort me. I’m sure I could use a strong shoulder to cry on during.”

Jughead widens his eyes comically before pointing at himself, “You talking about me?”

“You see anyone else at this table, Jones?” Veronica mutters. She tosses her balled up napkin at his face but it falls short of her target. 

“I thought you didn’t want a gentleman? Thought you wanted me just as I am?” Jughead asks, leaning forward a little. Veronica copies him and leans forward as well, resting her chin in her hands. “Besides, if you haven’t noticed, these aren’t exactly the strongest set of shoulders in Riverdale.”

“I didn’t get far enough to verify that for myself,” Veronica says. Jughead looks at her mouth briefly, eyes going distant for a second. She smiles, feeling like she’s won something. “You can kiss me, Jughead. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“We’re in public, Veronica,” Jughead mumbles leaning forward onto his elbows. “I wouldn’t want to tarnish your reputation. I am a gentleman, remember?”

Veronica rolls her eyes before reaching forward and grabbing the front of his shirt. She presses her mouth against his and it isn’t nice and sweet like their flirting had been. She’s still angry at this ridiculous town, at Betty and Archie for this entire suicide plot, at herself for agreeing to any of it. She pours that frustration into her kiss and Jughead reacts in kind, biting at her lip until she opens for him and he can soothe it with his tongue. She groans a little and adds the table separating them to her list of things that’s pissing her off this afternoon. 

“Do you want to go somewhere?” Jughead asks, pulling away just enough to speak the words against her mouth. She doesn’t answer him, just kisses him again. “Let’s go somewhere. We should go somewhere. Come on.”

“So impatient,” Veronica mutters as Jughead slides from the booth and holds a hand out for her. She gladly takes it, dropping a few bills onto the table as he drags her outside. 

They don’t make it very far, just around the corner of the building, before Jughead pulls her close again and presses his mouth to hers. Veronica groans and slides her hands into his hair, tugging a little, and pressing her entire body against his. Jughead’s hands grips her sides before sliding down to clutch her ass tight. Their kiss is filthy, tongues sliding against each other and mouths wide open. She tries to breathe through her nose, tries to do anything she can to avoid taking her mouth off of his. Jughead seems to be of the same mind, exhaling loudly through his nose as well. 

“Jesus, it’s like watching chimps in captivity,” a familiar voice says, jarring Jughead and Veronica away from each other. Josie looks between them with raised eyebrows. “Well, Veronica, are you going to introduce your new beau?” 

“I’ve known you since kindergarten, Josie,” Jughead mutters. He doesn’t pull away from Veronica entirely but he does put some space between them. 

“Considering I don’t interact with my lessers, I was trying to be polite,” Josie says with an exaggerated sigh. She looks over her shoulder to where the Pussycats are waiting expectantly for her. “Anyways, I need a word with my girl.”

After a long minute of awkward silence, Veronica huffs, “Well?”

“In private?” Josie says, giving Jughead another meaningful look. Jughead rolls his eyes and pushes off from the wall, pulling his phone from his pocket. He wanders towards the Pussycats and Veronica can hear him spouting off some random factoid about small town bands that she knows won’t get him very far with Melody or Val. “I need a favor.”

“From me?” Veronica asks, eyebrows reaching up towards her hairline. She runs a hand through her hair and contemplates fixing her lipstick but Jughead looks at her over his shoulder and she’s reminded just what she plans on doing as soon as Josie walks away. Fixing her lipstick would just be a wasted effort.

“It’s nothing huge, really,” Josie says, reaching out to grab one of Veronica’s hands with both of hers. Veronica looks down in utter confusion. In the months that she’s been in Riverdale and part of the in-crowd Veronica’s not sure she’s ever seen Josie touch anyone. Not willingly, at least. “Just a tiny favor and I will totally owe you one.”

“What’s the favor?” Veronica asks finally. She’s tempted to agree just to get Josie to go away again but she’s a Lodge and she knows how dumb it is to agree to something without all of the facts. 

“Double with me and Reggie?” Josie asks, eyes wide and hopeful. “Just one date. Probably a movie at the drive-in and milkshakes at Pop’s. Very lowkey.”

“I don’t know,” Veronica says, shaking her head. “Reggie and Jughead aren’t exactly the best of friends.”

“What? Ew. No,” Josie says. She shivers slightly and gives Veronica an exaggerated look of disgust. “A double with Moose. Like I would ever be caught dead anywhere near Jughead Jones.”

“Moose? He’s dating Midge,” Veronica says.

“They’re off-again, right now. Something about Midge sleeping with some Serpent on the side,” Josie says, waving her hand like none of that matters. “Reggie is trying to keep Moose’s spirits up and won’t go anywhere without him and I refuse to have a third wheel on our date tomorrow.”

“First, remind me again when you started dating jackasses like Reggie Mantle,” Veronica says, narrowing her eyes at Josie. “I thought you were all about your music? That you didn’t have time for idiot high school boys. Especially idiot high school boys whose idea of a good time is getting drunk and going cow-tipping in Centerville.”

“That was before Cheryl decided to off herself,” Josie says with a shrug. She looks away from Veronica for a second and if Veronica didn’t know any better she’d think that Josie was trying not to cry. When she looks back at Veronica though, her eyes are dry and she’s smirking a little like she made a joke that she expects Veronica to understand. “The why of it doesn’t matter, alright? What matters is that I need some backup.”

“You know, if you need backup just to go on one date with a guy then that guy probably isn’t worth dating,” Veronica points out. 

“It’s not for Reggie,” Josie says through a forced smile. “I can handle Reggie. It’s Moose which I’ve already explained.”

“Why don’t you ask Melody or Val? Or any of the other Vixens? I’m sure Ginger or Tina are gagging for a chance with a football player,” Veronica says. She looks over Josie’s shoulder to try and find Jughead again but he’s gone. Veronica nearly pouts. The entire damn town was in a conspiracy to prevent her from getting laid. 

“You want me to ask the two  _ lesbians _ who are dating  _ each other _ to go on a double date with Moose as their date?” Josie asks, looking at Veronica incredulously. “And Ginger and Tina are both Midge’s friends. They’d never do her like that and you know it.”

Veronica sighs and crosses her arms. Josie clasps her hands together and flutters her eyelashes at Veronica. She paints a pretty picture and Veronica pities Mayor McCoy. Clearly, the woman was made of stern stuff if she were capable of denying those puppy-dog eyes. Veronica sighs, making sure Josie knows just how little she’s looking forward to this when she agrees, “But if he does anything - anything that I don’t like I am out of there, Josephine.”

“You’re the best, Ronnie!” Josie exclaims, wrapping Veronica in a tight hug. “I’ll text you the details for tomorrow night. Trust me. It’ll be fun!”

-

The funeral is a dry affair. Veronica ignores Ginger’s plan to wear their uniforms, opting for a navy blue pants suit stolen from her mother’s closet. She doesn’t even sit with them, sitting in the back with Jughead on one side of her and Betty on the other. Her parents insisted that she make an appearance to represent the Lodge family since they were still in Europe “reconnecting” as a married couple. Veronica is pretty sure it’s just code for avoiding the tabloids that are still stalking their New York buildings. 

“Shouldn’t you be sitting with the rest of the Vixens?” Betty whispers next to Veronica. Her hair is down again, the iconic ponytail not making an appearance since Cheryl died. Veronica wonders if it’s her subtle way of saying that that Betty is just as dead as the redhead lying in the ivory casket. “To not look suspicious, I mean.”

“Suspicious of what, Bettykins?” Veronica asks, fluttering her lashes at the blonde. Betty presses her lips together and nods. She looks tired. Veronica wonders just how heavily everything is resting on her pretty, little girl-next-door heart. “Besides, the whole display is tacky and Lodges don’t do tacky.”

“You do know that you’re holding the tackiest boy in Riverdale’s hand, right?” Jughead mutters, squeezing her fingers a little. 

“Please, we both know that Dilton holds that title,” Veronica replies without missing a beat. “You’re not tacky, Jughead, you’re alternative.”

“Hipster,” Betty adds in. 

“You’re both rude,” Jughead replies, sinking down in the pew a little further. Veronica is just happy that he’s not wearing suspenders and his usual beanie. “I dress how I want without thinking about what people are going to say.”

“Like I said,” Betty says. “Hipster.”

Veronica tries not to laugh. She’s sure that the sea of redheads sitting at the front of the church wouldn’t appreciate it. Veronica sighs and rests her head against Betty’s shoulder instead, pressing her thigh against Jughead’s a little more. Betty rests her head on Veronica’s before whispering, “How are you holding up?”

“Perfectly fine,” Veronica replies. “Polly?”

“She barely remembers that night,” Betty says. “She’s gone back to school and is keeping her distance from Jason. She’s fine.”

“Archie?”

“Avoiding me but he seems to be okay.”

“And you?” Veronica asks. 

There’s a longer pause this time before Betty answers, “I’m working on being fine.”

“You seemed fine that night,” Veronica points out because she can’t help it. Because she has to remind Betty that, at the end of the day, this is all her doing, all her idea. 

“Let’s just say that I was in shock,” Betty murmurs. “My therapist says I’m really good at going into survival mode. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or not.”

“It came in pretty handy that night,” Veronica says. They probably shouldn’t be talking about this so much with so many of their classmates around. But they’re being quiet and the organ is loud and it’s the first time that they’ve been able to talk about what happened. 

“Elizabeth,” a voice hisses from the aisle and Betty sits up straight. Veronica turns and sees a very familiar pair of green eyes glaring at the three of them. “What are you doing back here?”

“Just talking to a friend,” Betty mumbles before she stands and gently pushes past Jughead and Veronica’s knees. “Waiting for you and Dad, of course.”

“You told me you were riding with the Andrews,” Mrs. Cooper says, hand on Betty’s elbow and eyes not bothering to glance at Veronica and Jughead again. She continues to berate Betty as she drags her to the front of the church, a portly blonde man trailing after the two of them. 

“Good to see you, Jughead,” Mr. Cooper whispers, hand squeezing Jughead’s shoulder briefly. Veronica watches the three of them with interest. She gets it now. Why Betty was so hesitant to bring Polly home that night with a mother like that. 

“Do you think she’s read that book about tiger moms?” Veronica asks Jughead but he’s not paying attention to her. He’s looking over his shoulder and Veronica follows the look. 

The Blossoms are standing at the back, Penelope Blossom clings to her husband’s arm and her cheeks are already wet with tears. They walk up the aisle slowly, each step a chore. Jason follows after them, eyes red and puffy and his hands clenched in front of him. They’re all wearing black and, somehow, it manages to clash with the bright red of their hair. Veronica watches them move to the front of the church, pausing by the casket. Mrs. Blossom has to be pulled forward by her husband to look down at the corpse of her daughter. 

The services goes by quickly after that. Veronica tunes out the sermon, ignores the false platitudes about reaching out for help and finding strength in God. It’s boring and reeks of a man who is just as confused by the sudden loss of life as everything else in the church. Well, maybe not everyone, she thinks as she looks at Jughead again out of the corner of her eye. 

He’s relaxed against the pew, head tilted back and eyes closed. He hasn’t let go of her hand but she’s half-sure that he’s asleep. Veronica slowly extracts her hand from his fingers and rests her hand on his thigh. She sees his Adam's apple bob as he swallows. Veronica bites her bottom lip and slowly inches her hand upwards. He shifts a little, unintentional drawing her hand towards his inner thigh. She keeps moving upwards, scratches her nails against the fabric of his slacks. 

His eyes finally open just as her fingers brush against the apex of his thighs, just as she feels the heat that’s sitting there. He doesn’t move, doesn’t make it easier for her to press her hand against him, doesn’t try to stop her either. He twitches in his pants and Veronica outlines the shape of him with her fingers. He lets out a slow breath, sinking into the pew a little deeper and finally spreading his legs a little wider. Veronica rubs her thighs together, inches a little closer to him, relishing the spike of anticipation that runs through her. 

“You know,” Jughead whispers, eyes facing forward and pulse throbbing in his neck. “This is a house of God.”

“Then he can strike me down whenever he feels like,” Veronica whispers back before she squeezes. 

He hisses a little and Veronica relaxes before letting go quickly when the congregation started to murmur and shift around. The Blossoms stand at the front, Mrs. Blossom weak in the knees and being practically carried by Jason. They slowly file out of the church, the rest of their redheaded clan following after them. Jughead and Veronica wait until the church is almost empty before they follow suit. 

Once they’re outside, Veronica sees that Archie has found his way to Betty’s side. They both have red-rimmed eyes and are clinging to each other while their parents chat. Betty meets Veronica’s eye over Archie’s shoulder and smiles a little, letting her know that the two of them are going to be okay. Veronica clutches Jughead’s hand again and leans into his side, sighing a little. It’s good that the sweethearts are finding each other again. They need each other with all of the shit this town is throwing their way, regardless of how much of it is self-made. Veronica looks up at Jughead and thinks that she might have found her own anchor amidst all of the madness as well. 

“Looking good, Rrrrronica,” Reggie says as he passes them by.

“Ew, Mantle,” she replies without thinking, scrunching up her nose in disgust. “Keep it to yourself.”

“I’m just saying,” Reggie says, holding his hands up. “You’ve been looking good and I know, for a fact, that Moose is looking forward to tonight.”

Jughead tenses next to her, hand sliding from her own, but she doesn’t turn to him just yet. She knows the game that Reggie is playing, has seen it played by far classier boys than him. She just rolls her eyes and shakes her head, “We both know that it’s a pity date and a favor to your girlfriend. Don’t go reading into it more than is actually there.”

“Look,” Reggie says, lowering his voice and leaning towards Veronica a little. He gives her a conspiratorial smile that makes her skin crawl. “I get it. Trying to save face in front of your little . . . rebellion fuck or whatever Jones is. But come on. You’re a little excited for tonight, right?”

“Jesus Christ, Reggie,” Veronica hisses, covering her eyes with a hand. Jughead scoffs next to her before walking away without a word. She flips Reggie off before following after Jughead. “Jughead, wait!”

He doesn’t slow down, doesn’t stop walking. Veronica can’t catch up in her heels, almost kicks them off in her attempt to catch up to him, but he’s gone before she has the chance. 

-

She wears jeans and sneakers for the date, hair pulled up into a ponytail and glasses firmly placed on her face. Considering Reggie’s earlier remarks and the way Jughead walked away from her, Veronica refuses to give Moose the wrong idea. She doesn’t even want to be in the ballpark of the wrong idea. 

Josie had promised a movie at the drive in and milkshakes. What they get instead is cruising in Reggie’s convertible while listening to bad pop music until they end up at a farm in Centerville. Veronica barely manages to contain her groan of derision when Moose yells loudly. Josie looks over her shoulder and mouths an apology that Veronica fucking ignores. 

“Come on, Ronnie!” Moose shouts, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. “This is, like, a rite of passage in Riverdale. You’re not a true townie until you’ve tipped your first Centerville cow.”

Veronica shrugs his arm off and curls further into the corner of the backseat. She tries to contain the venom in her voice just the tiniest bit when she says, “Trust me, being a Riverdale townie isn’t exactly high on my list of priorities.” 

Moose just rolls his eyes and hops over the side of the convertible. He pulls a flask from his pocket and takes a long drink before holding it out to Veronica. She’s sure the look of disgust on her face is answer enough when he shrugs and wanders towards the cow pasture. Veronica pulls her phone from her purse and quickly shoots off a text to Jughead, praying that he won’t ignore this one like he has all of the others that she’s sent that day. She bites her lip before sending one to Betty as well just in case Jughead decides to continue to ignore her. She needs a rescue mission, immediately, and she’s not afraid to beg.

“Are you just going to sit that car all night or are we going to tip a fucking cow?” Moose shouts at the three of them. Reggie laughs and hops out of the car the same way as Moose, leaving Josie alone in the front seat. “Finally, dude!”

Josie turns around in her seat, resting her forearms against the headrest of the seat. She tilts her head and sighs, “Alright. Well. I was told that we were going to the drive-in. I swear.”

“And yet, here we are in a fucking cow pasture,” Veronica replies not bothering to look up from her phone. Betty is kind enough to text her back, promising to drive out to wherever they are and get her. She drops her a pin and sinks further down in the seat. Josie is still watching her with expectant eyes. “What?”

“You could at least try to have some fun,” Josie points out. “It’s not the end of the world to act like the rest of us small town folks.”

“I thought you were an up and coming music super star?” Veronica asks, narrowing her eyes. “More than just the small town starlet?”

“You know I am,” Josie replies, rolling her eyes. “But every super star has her hometown roots, Veronica.”

“Right,” Veronica agrees. “And I’m sure when you’re being interviewed by Andy Cohen on the red carpet, you’ll be sure to mention all of those thrilling nights you spent cow tipping.”

“Shut up, Lodge,” Josie says. 

Her tone makes it clear that the conversation is over and just to put a period on the topic she climbs out of the convertible a moment later and goes over to the boys. Veronica stays in the car, scrolls through her social media feed, checks her chat with Jughead, tries to entertain herself as best as she can. She can hear the other three talking and laughing. Hears the telltale sound of a cow being pushed over into the mud and Moose’s loud triumphant cheer. She’s half-tempted to climb out of the car and start walking back to Riverdale, try to meet Betty on the road instead of waiting for her in the car. 

“Hey Ronica,” Moose mumbles as he climbs back into the backseat with her. Veronica looks around, trying to find Josie and Reggie but they’ve wandered away to neck beneath a tree. Moose drapes his arm around her shoulders and leans into her a little. “You know, this whole bookworm look is, like, really hot.”

“Gee, thanks,” Veronica mutters, sitting up straight and shrugging his arm off of her. It doesn’t deter him though. He just wraps it around her waist instead, pulling her towards him. “Stop it, Moose.”

“Stop what?” he mumbles, kissing her shoulder through her shirt. He smells like cheap cologne and cheaper booze. “Just trying to get to know you.”

“You and I both know that I’m not into you, Moose,” Veronica replies, reaching down to pry his hand off of her waist. “This was just a favor to Josie.”

“Doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun, Ronica,” he replies, holding her tighter and rolling the r in her name dramatically. She can feel it vibrate through her skin and it feels like ants crawling all over it. He presses a wet, open-mouthed kiss to her neck and Veronica’s patience snaps. She shoves at Moose’s chest and climbs from the car. “Oh, come on! Don’t be such a prude!”

“Fuck you, Mason,” Veronica hisses over her shoulder. Reggie and Josie have lowered themselves to the ground, completely unaware of what’s happening in the convertible. “No fucking means no.”

Moose groans and throws his head back dramatically. She’s sure he’s got something to say about her behavior but she doesn’t stick around to hear it. It’s a bad idea, the baddest of ideas, but she starts walking in the general direction of Riverdale. She pulls her phone out and is happy to see that there’s a text from Betty saying that she’s on her way with Archie as backup, if needed. Veronica had expected nothing less. 

She’s barely made it half a mile before there are headlights on the road. As she waves down the passing car, the thought of serial killers and human traffickers passes through her mind. This whole night has just been Veronica ignoring her instincts and making dumb move after dumb move but the car is rolling to a stop and it’s too late for her to duck off of the road. 

“You do know this is how serial killers pick their victims?” Jughead asks, leaning out the window of the pick up truck. “Remote location giving ample opportunity and all that.”

“What are you doing here?” Veronica asks. She looks over her shoulder back towards the cow pasture and Jughead scoffs. 

“You going to pass up a free ride and go back to Moose Mason?” Jughead says, pointing in the direction that she’d just looked.

“You ignored my texts since the funeral,” Veronica points out. “I know a cold shoulder when I get one, Jones.”

“And, yet, here I am,” Jughead mutters. He sighs and leans out of the window, looking at her through his lashes. “Come on, Veronica. Get in the truck. Let me take you home.”

“Only if you stay with me tonight,” she says, tilting her chin up and straightening her spine. He looks her up and down, starting at her sneakers and the muddy hem of her jeans and ending at her eyes, and nods. “Good.”

She nods back before going around to the passenger’s side of the truck. She doesn’t bother putting her seatbelt on, just slides across the seat and curls against Jughead’s side. Jughead doesn’t balk at the action, just wraps his arm around her shoulders and turns the truck around back towards Riverdale. 

“It didn’t mean anything,” Veronica says after a long minute of silence. “This date with Moose. It didn’t mean anything. I was just doing Josie a favor.”

“Figured as much when you sent Betty that SOS,” Jughead replies. His voice is even but he clenches the steering wheel a little tighter. “I’m just no good at this stuff.”

“What stuff?” she asks even though she knows what he’s talking about. She wants to hear him say it though, wants the words to come out of his mouth. 

“Girls. Dating,” he says, looks at her out of the corner of his eye. “Falling for someone. This is all new territory for me, Lodge.”

“Lucky for you, I’m an expert.”

“Doesn’t really make me feel any better,” Jughead mutters, shaking his head. Veronica sits up a little more and his hand slides down her arm, settling against her side. “I’m always going to be half a step behind, always second guessing this whole thing.”

“And I’ll be here steering you in the right direction,” Veronica says. They come to a stop light and she tilts his face towards her with a soft finger on his chin. “And reminding you that our love is God, Jones, and nothing’s getting in the way of it. Not even you.”

The light turns green but he doesn’t start driving. It cycles through back to red before he moves forward and catches her mouth with his own. She groans a little and leans into him, sliding her hand into his hair and tugging. He opens his mouth and bites at her lips until she opens up for him. Their tongues slide along each other and she’s sure that if they could, they’d crawl inside each other and never come out. 

-

After Jughead picks her up, she turns her phone off and sequesters both of them in her bedroom with her Buffy boxset until Monday morning. She hasn’t had the chance to learn about the fallout from her date with Moose. She hasn’t cared, if she’s being honest, if there even is fallout. With Cheryl six feet under, her worries about social destruction decreased dramatically. She should have known better. 

All morning there are giggles and stares that follow Veronica through the halls of Riverdale. She doesn’t pay them any attention. Why should she? She's the closest thing that this school had to a Queen Bee excluding Josie, of course. The wolf didn’t concern themselves with the opinions of the sheep. 

“So, Ronica, how’s your voice?” Midge asks snidely as she slides into the seat next to Veronica during third period. Veronica raises a single eyebrow at the nickname. The only people who call her that are the football team and they all know she hates it. She never expected meek, little Midge to pick up the bad habit. “You know, I heard that honey and lemon water helps with a sore throat.”

“My throat is fine,” Veronica says, rolling her eyes. “Don’t worry, Midge, I’m in tip-top shape for this week’s basketball game. We won’t have to rely on you to be heard.”

“Well, that’s comforting,” Midge replies but the self-satisfied smirk doesn’t fall away from her face. “We wouldn’t want anything to damage our rep, now would we?”

“What are you talking about?” Veronica asks “Just because Cheryl is gone doesn’t mean we need a new person to start talking in riddles, Midge.”

“Miss Lodge, do you mind if we start today’s lesson,” Mr. Golter asks from the front of the room, glaring at her over the top of his glasses. He’s already tapping his foot, a clear sign that his patience is thin today. Veronica sinks down in her seat and pulls her calculus book from her bag. Midge giggles a little and Mr. Golter’s glare moves to her. “Miss Klump.”

“Sorry, sir,” she replies softly and that’s the last of Midge’s riddles for the rest of the period. 

By the time Veronica gets to lunch, her patience is thin and the giggles that have followed her all morning have officially gotten on her nerves. She slams her books down on the lunch table, making Betty and Archie both jump in their seats, “What the fuck has everyone been smoking and where can I get some?”

“What are you talking about?” Archie asks with a laugh. He smiles easily and scoots over on the bench, making room for Veronica to sit down. 

“All day people have been giving me funny looks and making snide little remarks,” Veronica explains, pulling her lunch out. She bites into her sandwich viciously and scans the cafeteria for Jughead’s familiar form. “Midge decided she had a backbone during third period not that I knew what she was talking about and it's just been down hill since then.”

“I haven’t heard anything,” Archie says with a shrug. “I’m sure it’s nothing. You know how people are.”

“That’s exactly it!” Veronica snaps. “I do know how people are and they don’t start spouting off at the mouth with nothing to back it up! Especially meek little things like Midge Klump.”

“How’s your jaw feeling, Ronica?” Ginger asks as she walks by with Tina at her side. The two girls burst into laughter before they join Midge’s lunch table. Their laughter just gets louder once they’re sitting down, Midge gleefully joining in. 

“See?” Veronica practically screeches. 

Betty grimaces and tucks a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. She bites her bottom lip before leaning forward and saying softly, “I wasn’t going to say anything because I know it’s bullshit and I figured you wouldn’t care.”

“Wait, what?” Archie asks, leaning forward as well. “You know what everyone is saying?”

“Kevin was talking about it in the Blue & Gold office this morning,” Betty says with a nod. She gives Veronica an apologetic smile that Veronica does not accept in the least. “Like I said, I knew it was bullshit and I figured that’d you’d be told first thing this morning by someone but I guess that wasn’t true.”

“Just say it, Cooper,” Veronica hisses, patience already thinned out by this ridiculous day and getting thinner the longer Betty takes to spill the big secret. “I’m a big girl. I’m sure I can handle it.”

“There’s this thing in Riverdale called a sticky maple,” Betty starts out slowly. “It’s just a gross slut-shaming thing that the football guys came up with. Most everyone knows that they’ve never actually given anyone one but that doesn’t stop them from saying it. Loudly and often. You’re just the latest on their list of fake conquests, I guess.”

“What. The fuck. Is a sticky maple?” Veronica asks slowly. She can make a guess but she wants the full details before she has a total meltdown. Betty’s ears turn red and she looks down at her lunch tray, long blonde hair covering her face a little. Veronica rolls her eyes and looks at Archie. “Archie?”

His ears turn bright red as he looks down at his lunch tray as well. It takes a minute but, finally, Archie mumbles an explanation, “You know when a guy finishes on a girl’s face? And she, like, likes it?”

“Fuck me gently with a chainsaw,” Veronica hisses. She turns back to Betty with murder in her eyes. “And Moose is saying that I did that with him?”

“Moose and Reggie.”

“Moose AND Reggie?” Veronica screeches. Its loud enough to garner a new round of laughter from Midge’s table which is quickly silenced when Veronica turns her glare on them. 

“You know, Ronica, you don’t have to scream our names in the middle of the caf if you want our attention,” Reggie calls out snidely from his own table. Veronica spins towards his direction, fully prepared to eviscerate him with her eyes. “I mean, Saturday was a stellar performance. All you’d need to do is text and we’ll come running back.”

“You fucking pig,” Veronica hisses. “Nothing happened Saturday and you fucking know it!”

Reggie puts a hand to his chest and acts like he’s been hit, “Ronica, my heart. You’re breaking it.”

“Did our night of passion mean nothing to you?” Moose asks, pouting a little over Reggie’s shoulder. “I mean, I know you’re the resident Ice Queen but I thought we were special.”

Their table erupts into laughter as Reggie and Moose both high five each other. Veronica is fuming. She can feel is vibrating through her skin, she’s so angry. Pressing her mouth into a thin line, she stands up from the table and tosses her hair over her shoulder. 

The cafeteria goes silent, waiting for her response but doesn’t have one. Doesn’t have the mental capacity to think through her anger and come up with the proper response to shut both of those morons down. She looks at Betty and Archie, making it clear that she expects them to follow after her as she spins on her heel and marches out of the cafeteria. They follow suit like the good friends that they are, scrambling to gather their things so that they can catch up to her. 

Jughead is, conveniently, walking into the cafeteria with a sandwich hanging from his mouth just as she walks out. He must read the expression on her face because he doesn’t even ask questions before trailing after them. Veronica makes it out to the football field before all of her rage bursts out of her in an ear piercing scream that echoes through the stadium. 

“Bad day?” Jughead asks, mouth full of food like usual. She’s panting and tempted to let loose another scream just for good measure when he reaches out and wraps his arms around her. She doesn’t hug him back but she can feel some of the tension melt out of her the longer he holds her. “I read somewhere that human contact can help people feel better.”

“That might be true,” she whispers against his chest before weakly reaching up to hug him back. 

“V, are you okay?” Betty asks, voice gentle and cautious.

“I can beat those guys up, if you want,” Archie offers. “Or I can try, at least. I’m pretty sure I can take Reggie.”

“What happened that requires those two jackasses get beat up?” Jughead asks over Veronica’s head. Betty explains quickly and with as little detail as possible. Veronica is sure that she’s trying to spare Veronica anymore undue embarrassment. “Fucking dicks. If you want Archie to beat them up, I can definitely try and help. At the very least, Moose kicking my ass will leave Reggie open for Archie.”

“No one is beating up anyone,” Betty says. “That’s not going to do anything.”

“Then what are we going to do?” Archie asks. “We can’t just let them spread rumors like that and not face any consequences for it.” 

“They’re going to face consequences,” Veronica says. She pulls away from Jughead and looks at them, making eye contact with each one of them individually. “And it’s going to be full dark, no stars.”

“I have an idea,” Betty says. She has that eerie calm about her again. The kind of calm that makes part of Veronica want to say no thanks but she remembers the way they had laughed and high fived and the rage is back in a heartbeat. “Full dark, no stars. If you trust me?”

“I trust you,” Veronica says, leaning into her rage and leaning into it hard. “Full dark. No stars.”


	3. our love is god

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> because i am incapable of brevity, this chapter ended up not being the end! fingers crossed i manage to reel it all in in the next one. 
> 
> as always, thank you so much for the comments and the kudos. y'all keep me going.

Betty’s plan for Reggie and Moose is simple. Trick them into meeting with Veronica by Sweetwater River. Get them drunk. Take incriminating photos of the homoerotic persuasion thus playing into the stereotypical small town homophobia that exists in Riverdale. Blast said photos all over social media. Sit back and enjoy the destruction of the two biggest jerks at Riverdale High. 

Archie doesn’t like it and neither does Jughead, but Betty and Veronica veto their opinions. Veronica crosses her arms and glares at the two of them the night where they're finalizing the plan. Her tone makes it clear that she will not be tolerating any arguments when she says, “You guys aren't the ones who were humiliated. You don’t get opinions on this.”

“But isn’t this a little,” Jughead continues to argue, scratching at the back of his neck. “I don’t know. Basic bitch? I mean, where’s the lesson? How is this teaching them not to spread baseless rumors?”

“They get a taste of their own medicine,” Betty says, rolling her eyes. “They get the rumor that they’re in a secret romance spread around the entire school just like every girl that ever turned them down gets the rumor that they’re easy or a slut spread around the entire school. Seems pretty eye for an eye if you ask me.”

“Yeah but an eye for an eye and we all end up blind, Betts,” Archie points out. 

“You sound like your dad,” Betty snaps. Archie raises both eyebrows at how quickly she turns on him but doesn’t say anything. Betty’s face softens a moment later and she reaches across the table to take his hand between both of her own. “I’m sorry. That was rude.”

“It’s fine,” Archie mumbles. He looks at Veronica again and sighs. “You’re 100% about doing this? No doubts or anything?”

“100%,” she agrees with a nod. “Are you backing down, Andrews? Jones?”

They both shake their heads and Veronica relaxes back into the booth. Betty drops one of her hands from Archie’s onto the vinyl next to Veronica’s. She doesn’t think before grabbing Betty’s hand and squeezing tight. Betty squeezes back and turns to smile at Veronica. Veronica smiles back and relaxes. She’ll get her vengeance and eventually everything will quiet down and the school year will end and they’ll all be free from this hellscape. It seems so easy in the bright light of Pop’s. 

Veronica should have known that it wasn’t going to work out that way. 

 

* * *

Veronica approaches Reggie and Moose on a Friday night at Pop’s. She makes sure that her makeup is perfect and that her dress is appropriately tight and short. She knows it works when Reggie can’t seem to take his eyes off of her legs and Moose can’t take his eyes off of her chest. She stands at the end of the table, lips pressed into a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes, until Reggie slides over to Moose’s side of the table, freeing up one side of the booth for Veronica. Veronica slides onto the bench and cradles her chin in her hand, elbow propped up on the table. 

“Ronica,” Reggie says with a nod. He looks at Moose out of the corner of his eye before leaning back and donning the mask of coolest guy in school. “To what do we owe the pleasure?” 

“Well, I wanted to apologize for how I acted the other day,” she says slowly. She clasps her hands together and leans forward onto the table a little. She knows the picture that she’s presenting, uses it like a brightly feathered lure. “I overreacted to a little fun.”

“That’s quite the tune change,” Reggie says. “Isn’t Moose?”

“Yeah,” Moose grunts, eyes glued to Veronica’s cleavage. Reggie elbows Moose in the side and Veronica has to restrain herself from rolling her eyes. Finally, Moose looks up and copies Reggie, leaning back in his seat. “You trying to make it up to us?”

“Yes Moose, as a matter of fact, I am,” Veronica says. She gives him a coy smile and presses her cheek into her shoulder. Her hair falls around her face and she lets the smile grow a little bigger. “I was thinking of having a little party. A forgive me party, if you will.”

“I can always go for a party,” Moose says with a pleased smirk on his face. 

Reggie isn’t so easily won over though. Veronica can see the wheels turning in his head, can tell that he’s not totally buying her act. She flutters her lashes at him and turns towards him entirely, “What’s going on in that big brain of yours, Reggie?”

Reggie smirks and chuckles a little, “What kind of party are you thinking of throwing, Ronica? A little face-saving rager to get the rest of the school to forget about your little stunt in the caf?”

“No, nothing like that,” she says with a sigh. “My parents are home and I don’t really feel like entertaining the plebes.”

“Wait,” Moose says, holding his hand up. “If it’s not a rager then it’s not a party.”

“Well,” Veronica says, drawing the word out. She laces her fingers together and rests her chin on the bridge that they make. “I was thinking. Since this is a forgiveness party. That it could just be the three of us.”

Reggie’s eyes widen and he leans forward suddenly interested in what she’s offering, “Just the three of us?”

“Yeah,” Veronica says. “Us. A couple of drinks. Sweetwater River. Sounds like a good time.”

Moose looks at Reggie with big eyes. He reminds Veronica of a puppy begging for scraps at the dinner table. Again, she has to physically restrain herself from rolling her eyes. How these two ended up as the kings of the school is completely beyond her. At least in New York to be top dog there had to be the slightest bit of intelligence there. Those standards don’t seem to exist in the small town world of Riverdale. 

After a long, considering moment Veronica asks, “So what do you think, sport? Think I can make it up to you?”

Reggie smiles suddenly, wide and sharp and slightly dangerous. He leans forward and licks his lips, eyes travelling over every inch of her that he can see above the table. She tries not to flinch, tries not to do anything other than raise her eyebrows as a punctuation to her question. 

“Alright, Lodge, you got a deal,” he says, leaning back again. Moose fist pump and turns back to her with excited eyes. “Just give us the details and we’ll be there.”

Veronica tries to contain herself as she gives them the exact spot by Sweetwater River and time that she’d agreed upon with Betty. When she walks away, she can feel their eyes following her. She does her best to keep her pace easy and light, to sway her hips enticingly. It doesn’t erase the goosebumps that crawl up her arms or the twisting feeling that she has in her stomach. 

She really should have known better.

 

* * *

 

 

Veronica arrives Sunday morning with Betty and the boys in tow. Jughead lingers by the car, still protesting the entire plan, but Archie insists on scoping everything out and finding the perfect spot to hide. He’s convinced that Betty’s homemade concoction won’t be enough to actually know either Reggie or Moose out so he’s fully prepared to jump in and defend Veronica’s honor. Veronica isn’t sure what annoys her more - the doubt in Betty or that her honor would need defending by a man. 

“Just make sure that they drink the whole thing before anything happens,” Betty insists, handing her the water bottle housing Betty’s sleeping draught. “Just mix this with the vodka you brought and pour them both a shot. It should be more than enough. And don’t drink any yourself, please.”

“I’m not stupid, Betty,” Veronica says, rolling her eyes. “I’m not trying to pass out by Sweetwater River and I’m sure Jughead doesn’t want to have to carry me home.”

“Pretty sure it would be Archie who does the carrying,” Jughead mutters from his spot leaning against his truck. He frowns when Veronica undoes the top buttons of her top and adjusts her bra to accentuate her cleavage. She tries to ignore his probing gaze as she rolls up the top of her skirt, making it as short as possible without being overly indecent. “They’re already lured in, Veronica. Do you really think you need to be giving them even more incentive?”

Veronica opts for playing it coy and flutters her eyelashes at him, “Are you jealous, Juggie?”

“Hardly,” he mutters, looking away from her. 

“Nothing bad is going to happen to Veronica, Jughead,” Betty says with a level of certainty that stills everyone in their little group. The three of them look at each other and Veronica knows they’re all reliving the same moment in Cheryl’s bedroom. “I promise.”

“See?” Veronica says, forcing a laugh out of her mouth. She wraps an arm around Betty’s neck and presses their cheeks together. “What harm could befall me when I have my knight in shining ponytail watching my every move?”

“Plus, I’ll be hiding in the bushes, ready to pounce if I need to,” Archie says, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest. The corner of Jughead’s mouth twitches a little, just the hint of a smile, but it’s enough for them. The tension leaks out of the group and Archie laughs a little. He claps a hand onto the back of Jughead’s neck and tugs him back and forth a little. “Once this is all over and done with, I’m treating everyone to milkshakes. Promise.”

“You mean, I’m going to be treating everyone to milkshakes,” Veronica says with a smirk, rolling her eyes. “We all know that you can’t afford it, Andrews.”

“Just let me have my moment, Ronnie,” Archie whines with a pout. 

Betty snorts and kisses it off of his face gently. Jughead and Veronica look at each other and mimic gagging over their sweet moment, sharing a small smirk that warms Veronica’s chest. She moves to join him by the truck when her phone pings with a text from Reggie. Veronica sighs and doesn’t bother texting back, just deletes it from her phone. 

“Alright, places everyone,” Veronica announces grandly. “Can’t have our stars seeing the magic behind the scenes.”

Jughead scoffs and climbs into his truck, waiting for Betty to join him. They aren’t going far, just far enough away so that Reggie and Moose don’t see them. Veronica’s stomach twists a little and she wishes that the bottle in her hand had actual vodka in it instead of Betty’s concoction. Betty pulls Veronica into a tight hug and whispers in her ear, “Full dark. No stars.”

Veronica repeats the mantra and presses her face to Betty’s neck, inhaling the spun sugar smell of her lotion. It settles her nerves and soothes the doubts screaming in her mind. Veronica isn’t sure when that happened. When just the smell of Betty could calm her every jangling nerve but she’s grateful for it today. Jughead just gives her a long steady look from the driver’s seat before nodding. She nods back before turning to Archie with a wide, practiced smile. 

“Showtime, Red,” she says, clapping her hands together. 

Archie laughs nervously before scurrying towards the river bank and the bushes that he’s chosen as cover. Veronica goes about setting the scene. She lays out a blanket and pulls out the half-full vodka bottle that she’d stolen from her dad’s liquor cabinet. It’s probably too nice for her purposes but Veronica doubts that anyone is going to notice that it’s missing. She takes a quick nip to fortify her nerves a little more before pouring Betty’s concoction into the bottle and giving it a quick swirl. She lays down on her back, legs crossed at the ankles, and her phone above her face as she tries to find a playlist to fill the silence. 

“Oh, Rrrrrronica,” Reggie calls through the trees only a few minutes later. Veronica takes a deep breath and leans up on her elbows, bending her knees slightly. She knows that she paints a pretty picture and it’s confirmed when Reggie and Moose stop short at the sight of her. “You weren’t kidding about a party.”

“No, Reggiekins, I most certainly was not,” Veronica agrees with a smirk. She shifts to her knees and folds her hands in her lap. “Took you boys long enough.”

“Well, we’re here now,” Reggie says. He tries to smile but Veronica can see the nerves in his eyes. For a second she feels bad, actually considers backing down, but the nervousness in his eyes quickly vanish. “So, how do you want to do this? One after the other? At the same time?”

Veronica clenches her fingers and breathes out through her nose. She lifts the bottle of vodka and shakes it at them, “How about we relax a little first?”

“Yes!” Moose shouts, making both Reggie and Veronica jump. He reaches for the bottle, taking a step towards the blanket. “Definitely need to relax just a bit.”

Veronica jerks back a little, tilting the bottle behind her. She wags a finger at the pair of them and bites her lip. Reggie shifts a little, eyes darting between Moose and her. Veronica slowly stands up and gestures at the two of them, “Strip for me first and then you can have a sip.”

Moose doesn’t hesitate before reaching for his belt buckle. Veronica raises her eyebrows at Reggie, waiting for him to comply as well. He just bats Moose in the upper arm, stopping him from dropping his jeans, and asks, “What about you?”

“Well, I was hoping that you’d rip them off me,” Veronica says. She drags a finger along her collarbone and flutters her lashes. “I mean, you could handle that right, big guy?”

“Yeah,” Reggie says, eyes glued to her cleavage and hands reaching for his own belt. “Yeah, I can definitely handle that.”

Veronica laughs a little as the two of them free themselves of their clothes, falling over themselves in their rush. Moose is the first one down to his boxers and rushes forward with grabby hands for the vodka. Veronica hands it over without hesitation. Moose takes a long drink before handing the bottle over to Reggie. Veronica doesn’t pay attention to Reggie as he drinks, watching Moose instead for any signs of drowsiness. Betty had promised that it would be fast acting but Moose is still wide awake. Wide awake and reaching for Veronica. 

“Hands off, Mason, Mantle the Magnificent gets first dibs,” Reggie mutters, shoving the bottle back towards Moose. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and wraps an arm around Veronica, pulling her close. Veronica tries not to flinch back when Reggie presses a kiss to her mouth. It’s hard and greedy and all Veronica can think about is how different it is from Jughead’s needy, devouring kisses. Reggie hums a little as he pulls away. “Maybe you aren’t as frigid as we all thought.”

Veronica opens her mouth to say something else but the feeling of Moose stepping up behind her silences her. He shoves the vodka into Reggie’s chest and presses wet, slobbing kisses to her neck. Reggie takes another long pull, eyes sliding shut, and Veronica tries not to flinch away from Moose’s clumsy hands. She can hear rustling from the bushes and knows that it’s only a matter of time before Archie bursts from his hiding place to rescue her. 

“Dude,” Moose mutters against her neck. Veronica can feel him swaying behind her and sighs in relief. “I don’t feel great.”

“Fucking lightweight, Moose,” Reggie mumbles. His eyes are drooping as the bottle of vodka slips from his fingers, crashing to the ground. He sways a little before pressing a hand to his forehead. “Shit. Maybe I’m a lightweight too.”

Moose falls to the ground and Veronica looks down with a raised eyebrow. Reggie grabs her arm and jerks her back to him. He’s clearly struggling to stay standing and Veronica is sure that he’s going to bring her down with him. She tries to free her arm from his grip but he just holds on tighter as he mumbles, “What the fuck did you do? Did you...fuck, you poisoned us? Seriously?”

He stumbles into her a little, flinging an arm around her neck and leaning all of his weight onto her. Veronica stumbles back a little and shouts for Archie before Reggie’s knees give out. Veronica falls down with him until their both kneeling in front of Moose’s prone body. Reggie is mumbling something about a hospital and suing Veronica but she’s too busy trying to pry his hands off of her to pay attention. 

Archie can’t wait any longer. He bursts out of the bushes, dark eyebrows drawn down into a frown. Reggie looks over his shoulder, mutters, “Andrews?” before finally collapsing into a boneless heap in front of Veronica. She falls back on her ass, arms stretching back to brace herself. Archie slides to his knees next to her, hands gripping her shoulders tightly.

“Are you okay?” he asks, eyes scanning her for any obvious injuries. Veronica bats his hands away with a nod. “I thought Betty said it would be fast-acting?” 

“Not fast enough,” Veronica replies. She rubs at her neck where it’s still damp from Moose’s slobbering. “Can you call Betty and Jug? We should finish this up before anyone thinks to look for these two morons.”

Archie nods and pulls his phone out to call Betty. Veronica shakes her arms out and moves to gather up the boys’ clothes. She tugs off their shoes and piles everything next to the blanket. She fully intends to take everything with her when they leave. Let them wake up naked and cold in the forest, let them make their own walk of shame home. Even if the photos they plan on taking don’t have the intended effect, that image is enough to satisfy Veronica. 

“What should I do?” Archie asks, standing over Reggie. He crosses his arms and Veronica suspects it’s to hide his nerves. He hadn’t been on board with this plan, not entirely at least, and Veronica wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to back out at the last minute. But his eyes are wide and earnest when she turns to look at him. “Like, should I move them or something?”

“Betty had a whole plan for it,” Veronica says with a sigh. “Just wait for her to show up. She’s the blonde with the plan after all.”

Archie nods and kneels down next to Reggie, poking him with a finger. Reggie doesn’t move and Archie frowns, “Man. Whatever Betty gave them must have been strong. He’s, like, super still. It’s kind of creepy.”

“Betty is a genius,” Veronica mutters. She runs a hand through her hair and inspect Moose. He’s just as still as Reggie and her stomach sinks a little. He’s too still. There’s no rise and fall of his chest. No flutter of his eyelids. There’s nothing. She reaches to shake his shoulder but nothing happens. “Arch, is Reggie breathing?”

“What?” Archie asks with an awkward laugh. She looks at him with wide eyes, too scared to look down at Reggie. “What are you talking about? They’re just passed out.”

“Archie,” Veronica says, voice barely above a whisper. “Just. Just check. Please.”

He shakes his head and mutters something under his breath that Veronica doesn’t catch. He’s probably calling her crazy or reaffirming his faith in Betty’s brilliant mind. Because Betty wouldn’t make a mistake like this. Not after what happened with Cheryl. She wouldn’t put them through that again. She  _ wouldn’t _ . Veronica watches with bated breath as Archie presses two fingers to Reggie’s neck. He holds them for a minute before shaking his head and moving his hand around. He sucks a finger into his mouth, getting it wet before putting it under Reggie’s nose. 

Veronica bites her lip and tries to ignore the way her eyes begin to sting as she waits for Archie to confirm what she already knows. They’re dead. She killed them. Unknowingly. Stupidly. Accidentally. But it’s murder all the same. Archie jerks back, muttering a curse under his breath. The tears that Veronica had been fighting back finally burst free. She reaches up to wipe at her cheeks, to try and stem the flow of tears but ends up just covering her face while she cries. 

“Ronnie, hey, Ronnie,” Archie says before he reaches to pull her into his chest. “Don’t cry. Please. Come on. It’s a mistake. An accident. A total accident.”

She can’t speak. The words won’t form in her mouth so she clings to Archie and presses her face into his neck. He continues to rub her back and mumbles words of comfort in her ear. They’re so wrapped up in each other that neither of them hear the truck as it pulls into the grove. Jughead calls her name as he jumps out and Veronica doesn’t think before pushing Archie away and stumbling over to him. 

“Veronica what is going on?” Jughead asks just as she collides with him. His arms go around her waist and pulls her in tight. She presses her face to his neck like she had with Archie and continues to cry. “You’re freaking me out. Talk to me. Please.”

“They’re dead, Jughead,” Betty says as she climbs out of the truck. “She’s freaking out because they’re dead.”

Jughead pushes Veronica away from him so that he can look her in the eye. His eyes are wide and wild with distrust as he asks, “Is that true? Are they dead?”

Veronica manages to nod once before his hands jerk away from her like he’s been burned. He presses the heels of his hands to his eyes and groans, bending over a little. Veronica wraps her hands around his wrists and tries to pull his hands away as she explains, “I didn’t know! I swear, Jughead, that I didn’t know!”

“I knew,” he grunts. He lets her pull his hands away but she wishes that she hadn’t. The glare that he sends her way is enough for Veronica to let him go, to step back a little. “I knew that this was a bad idea! That we should have just let it go! But you just couldn’t, could you? You couldn’t have your precious fucking rep ruined by a couple of fucking meatheads!”

“You think this what I wanted to happen?” she asks in a tiny voice that’s nothing like the Veronica Lodge that she’s always been. “You think I planned to commit  _ murder _ ? That I’m capable of killing people? Is that really what you think of me, Jughead?”

“I don’t know what to think!” Jughead screams. “Two more of our classmates are dead and we’re involved! Again! And this was your idea! Your fucking plan!”

“I didn’t plan for this!” Veronica screams back. She reaches forward and pushes him a little. He barely even stumbles but Archie wraps his arms around her, pulling her back all the same. “I didn’t want  _ this _ !”

“It wasn’t her fault, Jughead,” Betty says, wrapping her arms around Jughead’s waist from behind. She hooks her chin over his shoulder and presses her temple to his cheek. “Don’t be mad at Veronica. She didn’t know. I swear.”

“Betty?” Archie asks softly. The name’s a puff of air against Veronica’s ear but she doesn’t flinch back from it. “It was an accident, right?”

“No, Archie! It wasn’t a fucking mistake!” Jughead shouts, prying Betty’s hands off of him. Veronica doesn’t miss the way Betty’s face crumbles with the rejection but she’s immediately blocked by Jughead. He grabs her upper arms and Archie moves away from Veronica a second later. “What the fuck did you, Betty? Why? Why would you do this again?”

“Back off, Jughead!” Archie shouts, pulling Jughead away from Betty. He pulls her into his chest and Betty looks at Jughead and Veronica from the shelter of his arms. Archie’s face is clouded with anger but Betty is calm, so intensely calm. “Let her fucking defend herself before you start throwing around accusations.”

“What defense is there for this?” Jughead shouts back, waving a hand at Moose and Reggie. “She’s the one with the drugs. She’s the one that gave it to Veronica to give to them. You seriously think this was all some big mistake?”

“Betty,” Archie asks in a gentle voice. It’s a private voice. A voice used primarily in dark rooms, in private spaces, not in front of an audience. “Please. Tell me he’s wrong. Tell me it was an accident.”

She pulls away from him and looks up with determined eyes. The moment is thick with tension. They’re all holding their breath, waiting for whatever it is that Betty will say. Veronica, though, already knows what’s coming next. Jughead seems to know, too. He exhales loudly and turns to Veronica with pleading eyes. Veronica doesn’t have an answer, doesn’t even know what to say. She just reaches up and cups his face, pulling him down to kiss her. He freezes for a moment before kissing her back. Veronica pulls away just a breath to whisper against his mouth, “Stay with me, Jug. Please. Stay with me.”

“Always,” he mutters. He takes a deep breath and kisses her again. When he pulls away, she presses her cheek to his chest and lets the sound of his heartbeat soothe some of her anxiety. 

“They were pigs!” Betty shouts, drawing their attention back to her. She’s pulled away from Archie and is glaring at the three of them. “Them. Jason. Chuck. The entire fucking football team are nothing but swine in helmets!”

“Betty, come on,” Archie says, reaching out for her. His voice is thick and there are tears forming in his eyes. 

“No!” she snaps, curling her hands into fists. “They were never going to learn and the world is better off without them. It was Veronica this week. Last week it was Ethel. Before that it was Polly. They were  _ never _ going to learn, Archie!”

“So you killed them?” Jughead asks. “You murdered them and what? What now, Betty? What the fuck do we do now?”

“We do what we did before,” Betty says slowly, looking at Veronica. “V? Full dark, no stars, remember?”

Veronica scoffs but it sounds more like another choked off sob. She clears her throat and looks down at Moose and Reggie again, shaking her head, “No, Betty.”

“This is what we agreed to,” Betty insists. She hasn’t looked at the bodies, hasn’t glanced at what she’s done. Not once. “We wanted to make them pay and we did.”

“Not like this!” Veronica screams. “We didn’t agree to this, Betty!”

“You don’t get to choose who lives and dies, Betty!” Jughead shouts. “You can’t be judge and jury. The world doesn’t work that way.”

“Maybe it should,” Betty hisses. She points down at them, eyes still avoiding the bodies. “They would have never changed. It didn’t matter how badly we embarrassed them. They would have continued to be terrible people and would have just grown into adult assholes just like their fathers.” 

“Betty,” Archie croaks through his tears. He cups her face and presses their foreheads together. “Betty this isn’t you. It’s not. Say it. Please. Say this isn’t you.”

“It’s not me, Arch,” Betty murmurs. She licks her lips and cups his face as well, rubbing her thumbs over his cheeks. “It’s us. It’s all of us. We did this together. I never could have pulled this off without you guys. Can’t you see it, Arch? Can’t you?”

“Betts,” Archie chokes out. He pulls her into a desperate kiss. It’s an end-of-the-world kiss. It’s a save-the-maiden-from-the-monster kiss. It's the kind of kiss that every little, blonde haired girl dreamed of when growing up. When he pulls away, they don’t look away from each other. Veronica feels like she’s intruding and almost wants to walk away but her eyes glance over Reggie again and she can’t. “Veronica. Can you write a note? Like the one you wrote for Cheryl?”

“Archie,” Veronica sighs, closing her eyes. 

“Arch, man, you can’t be serious,” Jughead says. She doesn’t have to turn to hear the tears in his voice. “We can’t do this again. You can’t ask Veronica to do this again.”

“Ronnie, please,” Archie begs. He still doesn’t look at her, still doesn’t pull away from Betty. “For Betty. Please.”

Veronica swallows the lump in her throat. She doesn’t have any words. She feels wrung out of words and tears and any feelings at all. Her hands are shaking and she reaches up for the pearl necklace that she doesn’t wear anymore. Her hand flutters around her neck before nodding.  Jughead curses under his breath and marches away from them all. Throwing himself down against the bank of the river, knees pulled up to his chest and forehead resting against them. Veronica resists the urge to go after him and forces herself to stay with Archie and Betty. 

“Do you have paper?” she asks, rubbing her palms against her skirt. 

Her eyes skirt over Betty’s face and land on Archie’s. It’s safer to look at Archie. Veronica isn’t sure that she could look at Betty right now. While they go back to the truck for Betty’s bag, Veronica moves the clothes around so it looks less like a gathered pile and more like two teenage boys stripping. Her hands are shaking and she’s sure that she’s still crying but there are more important things to worry about at the moment. 

“Just stick to the secret gay romance story that we’d come up with,” Betty says, handing her a notebook and pen. “It doesn’t have to be as intense as Cheryl’s note. We don’t need Miss Grundy trying to start a sharing circle again.”

“Right,” Veronica says, keeping her eyes on the notebook. She pens something quick and simple before ripping the page from the notebook and shoving it into Reggie’s hand. “Let’s go.”

“Not yet,” Betty says. She holds onto Veronica’s arm and turns her around. Veronica finally looks Betty in the eyes. There’s that eerie calm in her green eyes but Veronica can still see her friend in the downward tilt of her mouth, in the worried arch of her eyebrows, in the messy bun that she’s pulled her hair into. It’s probably the first time since Cheryl died that Betty has pulled her hair back and Veronica realizes how much she’s missed Betty’s iconic ponytail. “Are you with me on this?”

“Of course, Betty,” Veronica says with a nod. She tries to smile, tries to sell the lie but she knows that it comes off as more of a grimace than anything else. Betty sighs and pulls Veronica into a tight hug that Veronica doesn’t hesitate to return. “I promised, remember? Full dark, no stars.”

“I know,” Betty murmurs into Veronica’s neck. “I know you did but that doesn’t mean I can’t worry about you. I love you, V.”

“I love you, too,” Veronica chokes out. “So much, B.”

“Why don’t you and Jughead go home?” Betty suggests. “Arch and I can take care of the rest.”

Veronica pulls away and looks at Betty with raised eyebrows, “Are you sure?”

“You’ve played your part,” Betty says with a nod. 

Veronica doesn’t have to be told twice. She doesn’t look back as she goes to join Jughead by the river bank. She doesn’t sit next to him. His shoulders are still tense and she’s sure that he’s still mad at her. She doesn’t expect anything else, she doesn’t deserve anything else. 

“Jughead?” she asks, voice cracking the name in two by accident. She clears her throat and tries again, sounding surer of herself. 

“Done playing God, are we?” he says without turning to her. 

“Can you take me home, please?” she asks not bothering to answer his question. Veronica’s sure that he doesn’t actually expect one. “I’m . . . Betty doesn’t need me anymore.”

“No,” Jughead says finally looking at her with sad eyes. “She really doesn’t.”

“Can we just go, Jughead? Please?” Veronica begs, crouching down next to him. She rests her cheek on his shoulder and sighs. “I just want to get out of here.”

“Are your parents home?” he asks, resting his head on hers. She loops her arm through his and holds his hand as she nods. They are finally home from their second (or is it third? Veronica can’t remember anymore) honeymoon. “We can go to my place. My dad is out.”

“What about your mom?” she asks without thinking. Jughead stiffens next to her and she knows that she asked the wrong thing. 

“She’s not around,” Jughead says without much more explanation than that. “You don’t have to. I can drop you off at home.”

“No,” Veronica says, shaking her head. “I want to.”

He nods and stands, holding his hands out for her. He pulls her to her feet but turns on his heel before she can say anything else. Veronica follows after him, stomach twisting and turning nervously. Betty and Archie are busy with the bodies. There are still tears streaming down Archie’s face but Betty’s face is devoid of all emotion. They don’t bother saying goodbye before climbing into Jughead’s truck and making the short, quiet drive to the trailer park. 

Jughead rushes into his trailer without saying anything but Veronica can see the nervousness in his shoulders. She knows what he’s thinking without him saying anything. Especially after all of the time they’ve spent in her penthouse the trailer is sad in comparison. He goes into the kitchen and Veronica stays in the living room. The couch is threadbare and the TV has rabbit ears. None of the furniture matches and the carpet has seen better days. But it looks lived in, like someone has made their life here, and for that Veronica loves it. 

She makes herself comfortable on the couch, kicking off her heels and tucking her feet beneath her. There’s a well-worn copy of  _ In Cold Blood _ on the coffee table that she idly flips through while Jughead continues to putter around in the kitchen. There are notes in Jughead’s messy scrawl and highlighted passages that Veronica remembers loving when she had read the book her first time through. 

“I’d offer you something to drink,” Jughead says as he comes out of the kitchen. He’s scowling down at the half-full bottle of water clutched in his hand as if it personally offended him. “But we haven’t exactly gone grocery shopping lately.”

“That bottle you’re holding looks like water,” Veronica says, gesturing with the book. “Though my standards are typically very high, I’m not opposed.”

His scowl doesn’t go away and she knows that her attempt at a joke falls flat. Veronica puts the book down slowly and unfolds her legs, planting her bare feet on the carpet. She folds her hands in her lap and waits for Jughead to say whatever it is that’s running through his mind. After a long minute he scoffs and rubs a hand down his face, mumbling into his palm, “You’re a fucking piece of work, you know that?”

“No more than you,” she replies without thinking. She shouldn’t have said anything. She should have just let him talk instead of snapping back but Veronica Lodge doesn’t  _ not _ snap back. It’s just not part of her DNA. 

“I’m not the one who actively helped to cover up  _ three _ murders!” Jughead shouts, throwing the water bottle at the wall. Veronica doesn’t flinch but he does when it explodes and sprays water everywhere. 

“No,” Veronica agrees with a nod. “You’re not. You’re just the one stood by and let it all happen.”

“And what was I supposed to do?” Jughead asks through clenched teeth. 

“Anything,” Veronica says. “You could have done anything other than just standing by and watching. But that’s all you did. You watched and said  _ nothing. _ ”

“Fuck you, Veronica,” he hisses, pointing at her. She can see the way his hand is shaking. 

“I don’t think you’re actually mad at us,” she continues, standing up and walking over to him. He’s tense but she presses her palms against his chest anyways. He doesn’t push her away but he doesn’t pull her close either. “I think, Jughead Jones, that you’re mad at yourself for letting it happen. For not turning us in. For not stopping us with Reggie and Moose. That’s what I think.”

“I never asked for your opinion, Veronica,” he says, looking away from her. He’s not fast enough for her to miss the tears on his cheeks. “I never asked for any of this.”

“I know, Jughead,” Veronica says, meaning it entirely. She knows. None of them asked for this. But they’re doing their best with it. They’re  _ trying _ and maybe Jughead needs more time than the rest of them. She circles her finger against his chest and bites her lip before letting out a slow breath. “If it’s worth anything, I am sorry. For everything.”

He shakes his head and mutters something that sounds like a denial. She tilts his head up with a finger on his chin and gives him a weak smile, “You’re the best thing about this humdrum town, Jughead Jones. Don’t let this drag you down.”

“And what about you?” he asks softly. Her hands slides to his cheek and he leans into it with a sigh. “What about it dragging you down?”

Veronica smiles sadly and thinks about who she was before she moved to Riverdale. About who she fell into being once she’d aligned herself with Cheryl over Betty. She doesn’t think any of this can drag her any lower than she’s already gone in her short seventeen years. Jughead is still watching her, though, still waiting for an answer. She just shrugs and rubs her thumb over his cheek, “Don’t you worry about me, Jughead Jones. I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.”

“That’s not what I’m asking, Veronica, and you know it,” he replies. “You know it’s not.”

“Jug,” Veronica says on a sigh. She pulls her hand away and crosses her arms around her stomach. She doesn’t have anything to say, no defense for Betty or herself for anything that’s happened. “I think I should just go. Give you space and time, you know?”

She can’t meet his eye but he doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t reach out to stop her from grabbing her shoes. Doesn’t follow her to the door. He just stands by the entrance to the kitchen watching her with big eyes. Veronica pauses for a second, hand on the doorknob, waiting for something - anything from him. She doesn’t want to go but she doesn’t think she can stay. Not when Jughead’s so shaken and so desperately looking for someone that he can blame. 

“Veronica,” he says just as she pulls the door open. When she turns to look at him, he’s hovering just behind her with his hand reaching out to shut the door. He cages her in between his arm and the doorknob, gently holds her hip with his free hand. He presses his hips to her own and stares at her mouth with a desperation that makes her heart skip a beat. “Stay.”

She doesn’t think before leaning up and kissing him, burying both hands into his hair. He groans and opens her mouth with his tongue, pressing her against the door. This isn’t going to fix anything that happened that morning but Veronica can’t find it in herself to care when Jughead palms her ass and lifts her up against his hips. She groans and tilts her head back as he kisses down her jaw and sucks at the spot below her ear that makes her squirm in his hands. 

Veronica tugs his mouth back up to hers and tries to press herself against him. Jughead hisses a little and presses against her harder, rubbing his growing erection into her. It’s Veronica’s turn to hiss and Jughead snags her bottom lip between his teeth, tugging a little as he pulls back to look at her. He rocks his hips into her again and smirks when her eyelids flutter. 

“Jughead, please,” she whimpers when he does it again. He huffs out a laugh that almost sounds like a groan. Veronica bites her bottom lip and tugs on his hair, tilting his head back and bearing his throat to her mouth. She bites at the straining tendon and smirks when his hips jerk against her again. She drags the tip of her tongue over the bite to try and soothe the redness of his skin. Jughead’s hands squeeze tighter where they’re gripping her and she lets out another weak whimper. “Please, Jughead.”

“Please what?” he groans out before kissing her again. He shifts so that she’s balanced on his forearm, her thighs squeezing him to keep her lifted against him, and his free hand coming up to frame her jaw. His palm presses against her Adam’s apple, his thumb keeping her head tilted up. “Come on, Veronica, use your words.”

She whimpers again and licks her lips. Jughead sighs against her wet mouth and kisses her again, pressing his entire body into her. Veronica rolls her hips and groans against his mouth, “Take me to bed, Jughead. Please.”

“Begging sounds good on, Lodge,” he murmurs against her collarbone and clutching her with both hands again. He pulls her flush against him, her breasts pressed against his chest, and takes a careful step towards the living room. He drops down onto the couch with a sigh, sliding his hands under her shirt and up her back. “But you’ve severely overestimated how strong I actually am.”

“Jughead,” Veronica hums, rolling her eyes. She pulls her shirt off, reveling in the way his eyes widen at the thin fabric of her bra. Her nipples are visible through the black lace, conveniently framed by the rose detailing. She lets him ogle her for a moment before she reaches back to unclasp the thing, pulling it off and dropping it onto the carpet. His mouth falls open and she tries not to laugh at him. “Shut up and touch me.”

He doesn’t hesitate to reach up and cup her breasts in both hands. Veronica groans and tilts her head back, rocking her hips against him. She gasps when he leans forward and wraps his lips around her nipple, scraping his teeth over it. He pinches the other one and runs his tongue over her. Her brain short circuits every time his teeth tease over her areola. Her hips can’t find and keep a steady rhythm against his straining erection. He drags his tongue across her collarbones and turns his attention to her other breast and something inside of her snaps. 

“Enough,” she gasps, letting go of his hair to scramble at his belt. “Fucking enough, Jughead.”

Her hand slips inside of his jeans, barely framing his cock, before he grips her wrist. Veronica looks at him through her lashes, chest heaving and pussy aching for him. His lips are puffy and red from her kisses, hair mussed from her hands. He looks like sex poured over the back of the couch and her fingers flex around him without her meaning to. He groans and laughs, “I’ve never. Veronica. This is. I mean. I’ve never done.”

“You’re a virgin?” she asks, voice barely above a whisper. She tries to pull her hand away, reaches up to try and cover her chest. “Jesus, Jughead, why didn’t you say anything?”

He tightens his hold on her wrist and wraps his arm around her waist, trapping her other arm so she can’t cover herself. He kisses the tops of her breasts before pulling her close. Veronica wiggles a little and rolls her eyes at the way the movement sends a shiver through her. 

“Do you not want to anymore?” he asks, eyes wide but just as determined as when he’d kissed her by the front door. He rocks his hips up, letting him move a little in her loose grip. “Cause I still do.”

“But . . . you’re all stressed and traumatized and . . . come on, Jughead,” Veronica stutters, trying to keep her mind focused on her protests and not on the way he’s rubbing his mouth gently across her collarbones again. “I don’t want you regretting this when you’re in a better state of mind. I don’t want you regretting me.”

He reaches up and grips the hair at the back of her head, making her look at him. Veronica hisses a little but grips his a little harsher, dragging her hand over the length of him through his boxers, all the same. He bites his bottom lip before leaning up and gently kissing her gently, softer than they’ve kissed all day. Veronica leans into his mouth and gives herself to the kiss, lets herself imagine that they’re just two teens in love instead of burgeoning serial killers. 

“There’s nothing about you that I could ever regret, Veronica,” he whispers against her mouth. “Our love is God, remember?”

She nods and kisses him again. 

“I just,” he huffs. “I don’t want to disappoint, you know?”

“Not possible,” she assures him. She finally frees her hands and cups his face. “I don’t want you to be disappointed. I highly doubt this was what you imagined for your first time, Jones.”  

“It’s you and it’s me and it’s better than any bullshit fantasy that I made up before ever meeting you,” he says, deadly serious. Veronica melts inside and leans down to kiss him gently, dragging her mouth against his. “I love you, Veronica.”

She freezes for a moment, feels her stomach flip over twice before settling into happy butterflies. His cheeks are pink and she can tell that he’s already wishing that the words had never slipped out of his mouth. And she gets it. It’s fast. So fast. But they’ve been through so much. They’ve clung to each other so hard, so tightly in the whirlwind of the past month that nothing about this moment is surprising. 

“I love you too,” she says, feeling it in every bone in her body. He exhales on a laugh before kissing her again. It starts soft and sweet and loving but quickly escalates into a heated embrace that has Veronica reaching back down to wrap her hand around him. “Last chance to back out, Jones.”

“Not on your life,” he says with a laugh as she pulls him free of his boxers. He slides a hand over her thigh, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake, to press a finger to her soaked underwear. She sighs and spreads her legs wider against his thighs. He takes the invitation and slides his finger beneath her underwear and gasps a little. “Fuck, V, you’re so fucking wet.”

He runs his knuckle up and down her slit experimentally before finally pressing his finger inside of her. Veronica leans forward to kiss him, hand slowly moving up and down along his cock. He moans into her mouth and begins to pump his finger in and out of her, matching the pace of her own hand. They continue to kiss, mouths open and tongues exploring. 

“More, Jughead,” Veronica groans and he blindly obeys, inserting another finger. “That’s it. Faster. Please.”

He complies, increasing his pace. Veronica tries to keep up with her own hand on him but he reaches around to grip her wrist, stopping her movements. Veronica takes the hint and moves her hand to her clit, rubbing in time with Jughead’s fingers. 

“Seriously, V,” Jughead murmurs against her jaw, biting gently. “You are fucking  _ soaking _ .”

Veronica chuckles a little and tilts her head back so his mouth can latch onto her neck. She can feel the beginnings of an orgasm, can feel the churning in her stomach and the tingling in her limbs. Her fingers on her clit begin to lose some of their rhythm and her hips rock against Jughead’s hand. She pants and holds Jughead to her neck, “Juggie, Juggie, please. I’m so close. I’m so fucking close.”

“What can I do?” he murmurs against her skin. He’s panting as well but he doesn’t wait for instructions before sliding in a third finger and curling upwards. Veronica groans and covers his hand with her own, holding him to her. “Come on, V. Tell me what you need. Tell me how to make you come.”

“Just. Don’t stop, don’t stop,” she whispers before pulling his hair so that she can bite at his lips. He continues to move his fingers inside of her, his palm pressed against her clit, and Veronica can barely think it feels so good. She sucks his bottom lip into her mouth and runs her tongue over it. She starts to come, feels the orgasm build and break inside of her but it’s barely there, barely enough. She wants more. “I want to come on your cock. God, Jughead, I want you inside me.”

“Jesus Christ,” he groans. He scrambles to free his hand and tugs at his jeans, lifting them both up a bit so he can slide them down his thighs. Veronica balances herself precariously, struggling to get her underwear off without climbing off of his lap entirely. “I don’t. Fuck. I don’t have any condoms.”

“It’s 2019, Jones, I’m on birth control,” she says with a slight laugh. She covers his hand with her own and positions herself above him, rubbing her opening with the tip.

“Naturally,” he gasps out, eyes firmly on where they meet. Veronica bites her bottom lip and slowly lowers down so that the tip dips inside before pulling back up. His mouth hangs open and he’s not breathing, looking entirely mesmerized as she does it again. “Fuck, V. Please don’t tease me.”

“Well, since you’re asking so nicely,” she replies, lowering herself until he’s inside her to the hilt. They both groan, reaching for each other’s faces. Veronica cups his face, rubbing her thumbs over his cheeks while she rocks gently in his lap. “You feel so good, Juggie. So fucking good.”

“God, Veronica,” he murmurs, eyes fluttering closed as his hands slide into her hair. He presses his forehead to hers and gasps when she rotates her hips. His hips jerk up a little and Veronica hisses when he hits that spot inside of her that short-circuits everything. “This is. God. I don’t. Fuck. I don’t think I can last. I don’t.”

She kisses him, clenches around him and increases her pace. She’s still coming off of her first orgasm, so the fact that a new one is building in her isn’t shocking. Jughead is still trying to talk around her mouth but she can’t stop kissing him. His hands fall from her hair to clench at her hips. He urges her to move faster and she happily obliges. He wrenches his mouth away from hers, throwing his head back and blindly thrusting up into her. It’s sloppy and there’s practically no rhythm but Veronica cries out all the same. 

“Jesus Christ,” he groans, eyes squeezed shut and jaw clenched tight. Veronica strokes his neck, slides her hand to touch his jaw, his cheek, his eyelids, any part of him that she can. “I never thought. Fucking. I never. Veronica. I can’t. I can’t. I’m gonna. Fuckfuckfuck.”

“Come on, Jughead,” she murmurs. She covers his hands with her own and tries vainly to increase her pace, tries to clench around him at the same time, desperate to feel him come inside her. “Come on. Do it. Please. Please. Yesyesyesyes!”

Jughead throbs inside of her, tensing all over as he comes. Veronica hisses and groans, bearing down on him. He jerks a few more times before finally sinking into the couch, Veronica collapsing on top of him. She twitches a little, the tremors of her orgasm still running through her. They pant into each other’s necks, fingers tangling together on Veronica hips. Jughead kisses the side of her head and she can feel him smiling into her hair. 

“Well, Jones?” she whispers, voice raw. 

“Well what?”

“Anything to say?” she asks, pulling back a little so she can look at him. His eyes are still closed, head tilted back against the couch to make room for her to sit up. There’s a flush on his cheeks and the slightest tilt to his mouth that she’s sure wants to be a full blown smile. “Nothing? Have I finally found a way to silence your endless commentary?”

“Give me a minute,” he murmurs with a laugh. She folds her hands on his chest and rests her chin there, waiting with a small smirk. He laughs again and shakes his head. “I love you.”

“Lame,” she replies with a laugh of her own. She leans up, feels him slip out of her and thinks about the mess for a second before banishing the thought somewhere else. She presses a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I love you, Jones.”

* * *

 

 

Monday morning arrives and everyone is talking about Moose and Reggie’s double suicide. The entirety of Riverdale High has forgotten about Cheryl. The walls are plastered with pictures of the two football stars, the Vixens are wearing their mourning black, and the teachers are whispering in bunches, eyes flitting over their students like they’re trying to guess who is going to fall next. There’s enough concern that Weatherbee calls the entire student body into the auditorium for an assembly. 

Jughead and Veronica sit next to each other, keeping an eye out for Betty and Archie. They haven’t spoken since they left the other couple by the banks of Sweetwater River, not that they had much chance to chat since everything happened. 

Josie walks by, supported by the Pussycats, but she doesn’t look like the grieving lover. She’s standing tall, every hair in place and a small smirk on her lips. Veronica is impressed by the facade, if she’s being honest with herself. She raises an eyebrow at Veronica and Jughead, the silent question clear on her face. Veronica doesn’t back down but she doesn’t offer any other explanation besides linking her fingers with Jughead’s in his lap. Josie shakes her head and the smirk turns into a cheshire grin as she moves further into the auditorium.

“What was that?” Jughead asks, eyes wide with trepidation. 

“Queen bees sizing each other up,” Veronica says with a shrug. “I’ll deal with it later.”

“You’re still queen bee? Even after . . . even though we’re . . . whatever it is that we’re doing?” Jughead says, stumbling over his words. She can’t help but smile at him, leaning over to kiss him gently on the mouth. Jughead pulls away and narrows his eyes at her. “Is this another queen bee thing? Marking your territory or something?”

“Or something,” she mumbles before kissing him again. They haven’t labelled anything about what they are. They love each other. They know that but they don’t know much else other than that. “Maybe I just want everyone to know who has my heart.”

“Jesus, Lodge, could you be anymore of a sap?” Jughead murmurs against her mouth but she can hear the smile in his voice. He drags a knuckle against her jaw that makes her shiver. “If I didn’t know any better I’d think you were trying to embarrass me in front of our peers.”

“Kissing the hottest girl at Riverdale High is embarrassing?” Veronica asks, pulling away to frown at him. He laughs and rolls his eyes. “And, no, I will not be taking any criticism on whether or not I’m the hottest girl here, Jughead Jones. So, don’t even think about it.”

“I would never,” Jughead says, pressing a hand to his chest and feigning offense. Veronica is getting ready to say something back when Archie falls into the open seat next to Jughead. There are dark circles under his eyes and his leg is bouncing anxiously as soon as he’s situated in the auditorium chair. “Arch, welcome to the party.”

“You okay, Archie?” Veronica asks, frowning at him in concern. He just shakes his head and keeps looking over his shoulder every few seconds. She reaches over Jughead and takes hold of his forearm, squeezing it to get his attention. “Come on, Archie. You’re freaking me out.”

“I broke up with Betty,” he murmurs quickly. Veronica and Jughead both gasp. That’s something that she never expected to hear. Not from Archie. Beautiful, dependable, completely in love with Betty Cooper, Archie Andrews. “Last night. And. I just. I’m worried about her, guys. I’m so fucking worried about her.”

Jughead opens his mouth to say something but Weatherbee walks onto the stage cutting him off. The three of them sink down in their seats, trying to hide themselves as best as they can. They know they aren’t going to be called out in the middle of the auditorium for murder but that doesn’t mean they want to risk being seen. 

Weatherbee’s speech is bland enough. All about reaching out if your suffering, about being there for their fellow classmates, about the spirit of acceptance that he wants to foster in the halls of Riverdale High. When he wraps up the speech, the three of them let out a slow breath of relief. They quickly suck it back in when Marty Mantle and Mitch Mason come on stage. 

They’re both clearly grieving, faces drawn long and devastated. Veronica sits up straight and waits with bated breath to see what they could possibly have to say. It doesn’t make any sense for them to be here, for them to be anywhere other than with their families. They stand shoulder to shoulder, the image of a united front but against what Veronica can’t be sure. 

“Our boys,” Major Mason starts before having to take a deep breath. Veronica is sure that if she were closer she would see tears pooling in his eyes. “Our boys were good boys. They were strong boys. And now they’re both gone.”

“My son,” Mr. Mantle takes over when Major Mason can’t continue. “Was a Bulldog to the core. A leader of his peers, of the football team. Bold and brash and everything I could have hoped for in a successor to the family business. And all of that hid a terrible secret. Hid something that he was too ashamed to share, to be honest about, and it took his life. That secret that he held stole my son from me, from all of us.”

“They were good boys!” Major Mason interjects making Veronica jump. He shoves Mr. Mantle out of the way and grips the podium’s microphone in one meaty hand. Even though she’s at the back, she can see the tears pouring down his face now. Can see the way his cheeks are bright pink and his eyes bloodshot. “They were good kids and we killed them with our prejudice! With our own hatred and fears! They were braver than anyone else in this room. Braver than I have ever been in my life. He may not have been able to be honest in life but he can be honest in the afterlife. More honest than his old man, that’s for sure.”

“Enough Mitch,” Mr. Mantle grumbles as he wrestles the microphone away from Major Mason. “The  _ point _ is if you’re carrying something like this, something that you think it’s better to be dead than to tell someone - reach out to your friends. Your family. Your teachers. There are resources. Suicide isn’t the only option.”

“I love my dead gay son!” Major Mason shouts over Mr. Mantle’s shoulder. He shoves Mr. Mantle out of the way. “And because I love my dead gay son. Because he was so very brave at the very end. I want all of you to know. Moose Mason was gay. And so is his father!”

The gasp that goes through the auditorium is loud enough to barely cover the sound of Major Mason’s intense sobbing. He’s collapsed over the podium and his shoulders are shaking violently. Weatherbee hurries onto the stage to help Mr. Mantle escort Major Mason’s grief-stricken frame off the stage. He pauses to dismiss them though which is enough to have the auditorium to fill with the sound of an entire school’s gossiping voices. Jughead and Archie don’t move though, staring at the stage with matching shocked expressions.

“Did Major Mason just shout that he loved his dead gay son and come out of the closet in the same sentence?” Jughead asks slowly. He looks between Archie and Veronica with raised eyebrows. “Seriously, guys. Is that what we just fucking witnessed?”

“Yeah,” Archie says. He huffs out a laugh that doesn’t sound joyful at all. It’s more like that dark laugh you huff when thinking about death. The worry that Veronica felt when Archie sat down comes rushing back. “Jesus guys. What the fuck is going on anymore?”

“I think we’ve created another Cheryl situation,” Veronica says with a sigh. “Get ready to hear nothing but nice things about the biggest assholes of Riverdale High.”

“At least those assholes won’t be walking down the halls anymore,” Betty says as she stops by their seats. Her ponytail is back in place and she’s wearing a cardigan that Veronica hasn’t seen since the beginning of the school year. It’s almost like she’s stepped out of the past and right into their very fucked up present. Archie raises his eyebrows and sits up straight but Betty doesn’t pay him any attention. She smiles brightly at Veronica and Jughead but Veronica can see the strain of it. “Are you guys going to sit here all day? Pretty sure that’s not going to go over very well.”

“Betty,” Archie says, standing up. He reaches a hand out to her but she flinches back from him. “Are you . . . are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Betty says, turning her plastic smile on Archie. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Archie flounders, mouth opening and closing with nothing coming out. Veronica stands up and squeezes past Jughead’s gangly knees to loop her arm through Betty’s, saving Archie from himself, “Come on, B. I need an escort to second period.”

“What about me?” Jughead asks. He’s trying for a joke, for something to cut through the tension of the moment, but it falls flat. Veronica just rolls her eyes at him and turns Betty towards the exit. “Fine. I guess I’ll just escort Archie. At least he appreciates me.”

“Of course he does,” Veronica calls over her shoulder. She winks at him, blowing a kiss that makes his cheeks heat up a little. When she turns back to Betty, the blonde is looking at Veronica with raised eyebrows. “What?”

“Did something happen with you and Jughead?” Betty asks, not wasting any time and cutting right to the heart of the matter. Her green eyes are wide and teasing but she’s still wearing that plastic smile. Now that Veronica is up close, she can see the dark circles under her eyes hidden by concealer and the stray hairs that haven’t been entirely slicked back into her ponytail. “You seem awfully flirty.”

“You know that something has been happening with Jughead for a while now,” Veronica says, trying to keep her tone light. Veronica has never been one to shy away from boasting about her relationships but this thing with Jughead still seems so fragile, so tender that she’s afraid of bruising it. 

“Right,” Betty says, bumping her shoulder into Veronica’s. “But something else happened.”

“And how, exactly, are you so sure?” 

“The way he looks at you,” Betty says with a small sigh. Her eyes water a little as they stop a foot away from their second period classroom. “I used to think Archie looked at me like that, to be honest, so maybe my eye isn’t as good as I thought.”

“Betty,” Veronica says, pulling the blonde into a tight hug. She presses her face to Betty’s neck but Betty doesn’t hug her back, doesn’t react at all to the embrace. “Archie loves you. He does. I know it.”

“Loves me enough to dump me,” Betty murmurs with a bitter laugh. “I’ve spent half my life loving Archie Andrews and he could barely manage to love me back for six months.”

“Elizabeth Cooper,” Veronica snaps, pulling away. She holds Betty by her shoulders and tries not to flinch back from the cold glint in Betty’s eye. It’s Betty. Her best friend. She can comfort her in this regardless of everything that’s happened. “Archie Andrews loves you. I know it. You know it.  _ He _ knows it.”

“Then why, V? Why did he do it?” Betty asks. Her cold veneer cracks and Veronica sees the vulnerable girl that she’d met on her first day at Riverdale High. Veronica cups Betty’s cheek and she rubs her cheek against Veronica’s palm. She reaches up and takes Veronica’s hand after a moment, rubbing her thumb over Veronica’s knuckles. “I’m just so tired of being hurt, V. I’m tired of being hurt by  _ Archie _ . Sometimes it feels like that’s all he’s ever done.”

“He’s done more than that and you know it,” Veronica insists. “This is not the end of Barchie. He just. It’s been a lot, the past few months, and he just. He needs time, B. We all do.”

“Even you, V?” Betty asks after taking a deep breath. Her grip on Veronica’s hand tightens a little but Veronica doesn’t flinch back from it. “Do you need time away from me?”

“Never!” Veronica says without thinking. She grabs Betty’s other hand, ignoring the warning bell, and pulling her further away from the classroom. “You are my best friend, Betty. Full dark, no stars. I am always with you.”

Betty finally pulls Veronica into a tight hug that knocks the air out of Veronica. Of course, she returns it. What else can she do when there are so many cracks in Betty’s facade today and she’s clearly calling out for support? Veronica had made a promise to herself to be better than she’d been. To throw all the bullshit that she’d pulled in New York and with Cheryl into the same plot as Cheryl’s casket. And, dammit, she’s going to follow through this time.

“I need to head to the Blue & Gold office,” Betty mutters as she pulls away from Veronica. The final bell has rung and Veronica is officially late for class. Not that she cares. “I have a few more things that I need to get sorted out before the next issue.”

“Are you going to be okay on your own?” Veronica asks. She smirks a little and tosses her hair over her shoulder, throwing on a bit of bravado just to bring a smile to Betty’s face. It works. Barely. “I can skip. Keep you company. Calculus can wait.”

“The last thing you need is detention, V,” Betty says, rolling her eyes. But it's fond and sweet and more like the Betty Veronica has grown to know over the past few months. “I’ll be fine. I’ll see you at lunch.”

“Promise? You won’t work through and avoid Archie?” Veronica asks. She goes the extra step and plays the pity card. “You can’t leave me with Jughead  _ and _ Archie. I don’t want to OD on testosterone.” 

“Heaven forbid,” Betty says with a laugh but she nods. “I’ll be at lunch. Don’t worry about me.”

“Impossible,” Veronica says, shaking her head. She watches Betty turn on her heel and head towards the Blue & Gold office, ponytail swaying back and forth. It’s a sweet sight - the perfect girl next door walking down the hall of her high school. It doesn’t stop the way Veronica’s stomach twists into knots and the dread that settles onto her shoulders like her Valentino cape. 


	4. i am damaged

“How much longer do you think we’re going to have to suffer through mourning the wretched three?” Veronica asks as she sits down at lunch. Archie raises his eyebrows at her nickname and she explains with a sigh. Jughead snorts and steals a french fry from her tray. Betty is missing. Again. “I mean, during that first week after Cheryl and then Moose and Reggie quickly following after, I get. Let’s talk about teen suicide. Let’s come together as a school. But I, for one, am officially done with the sickly sweetness of our hallways.”

“I think it’s nice,” Archie says with a shrug. His eyes keep darting to the doorway of the cafeteria, searching for Betty’s familiar shape. “I mean, is it really so bad that people are actually being nice to each other?”

“But are they being nice?” Veronica asks, raising an eyebrow. “Sure there are less people being shoved into lockers but that doesn’t mean that whatever bullying that plagued Riverdale High has stopped.”

“Dilton might be physically free from bruises,” Jughead says around a mouthful of chips. Veronica frowns at him and is half-tempted to shut his mouth for him. He notices her frown and chews open-mouthed a little more obviously. She just rolls her eyes and shakes her head. He’s a lost cause. “But trust me when I say he’s emotionally bruised.”

“Its fucking weird,” Betty huffs as she sits down at the table. They all jump and stare at her with wide eyes. It’s the first time that they’ve seen her in the cafeteria is weeks. She looks good, bright eyed and smiling and ponytail perfectly slicked back but something about her sudden appearance still niggles something in Veronica’s gut. “Weird and totally unnatural.”

“Betts,” Archie breathes out. His hand twitches on the table and Veronica is sure that he wants to reach out and take her hand, wants to check her palm for scabs. “Where’ve you been?”

“Working on something for the Blue & Gold,” she replies easily enough. She doesn’t look at him directly though, keeping her eyes focused just over his shoulder. Veronica isn’t sure if Archie notices though. “But I’m finally done!”

“Got a new scoop you want to share with the table?” Jughead asks, eyes darting between Archie and Betty. He raises his eyebrows at Veronica but she just shrugs. She’s just as much in the dark as he is. 

“You’ll see it when it’s published,” Betty says with a smirk. She bites into her apple and wiggles her eyebrows. “Can’t have it spreading around school before it’s ready to be shared.”

“Alright then, keep your secrets,” Jughead mutters, shaking his head. He’s still suspicious. Veronica can see it in the way that he narrows his eyes at Betty. At least Veronica isn’t alone in that. “So, what’s your take on the general kindness of Riverdale High’s halls lately?”

“Like I said,” Betty mumbles around a mouthful of apple. “Weird and unnatural.”

“But isn’t this what you wanted?” Archie asks. His cheeks turn bright red a moment later and Veronica wonders if he even meant to say anything at all. “Get rid of the jerks for a better world, right?”

“It's not about a better world, Archie,” Betty says, inspecting her nails. “It’s about justice. I mean, I guess a better world is always a nice bonus but what’s happening right now? It’s not sustainable. High schools need the jerks to function. We can’t be kumbaya all the time.”

“That’s pretty bleak, Betts,” Archie says, scratching the back of his neck. He glances at Veronica, looking for support but she can’t offer any. “I mean, you’ve always talked about making the world a better place.”

“Well, maybe I had a wake up call,” Betty snaps. She finally looks Archie directly, eyes cold and unmoving. “The world is a shitty place and, yeah, someone more idealistic would try and make it better, but right now, I’m more focused on just getting through the rest of the year. We’re a little young to be making sweeping changes, don’t you think?”

“Are you sure you’re okay, Betty?” Archie asks, leaning forward. He takes the leap and gently places his hand on top of hers. Jughead and Veronica both inhale sharply at the same time, waiting to see what happens. Betty stares at her hand for a long minute before slowly pulling away and tucking her clenched fist in her lap. “We’re still friends, Betty. You can talk to me about anything.”

“I told you,” Betty says slowly. “I’m. Fine.”

“I’m just worried about you, Betty,” Archie continues not noticing the coldness on Betty’s face. Jughead reaches out to touch Archie’s shoulder, as subtle of a warning as he can give, but Archie just ignores him. Veronica does the same for Betty, reaching into her lap and uncurling her clenched hand to lace their fingers together. “You haven’t exactly been acting like yourself.”

“People change, Archie,” Betty says. She pulls her hand free from Veronica and adjusts her ponytail. They can all see the red, crescent moons on Betty’s palms. “I couldn’t be the same Betty Cooper who trails after you with stars in my eyes forever.”

“What?” Archie asks, leaning back with wide, hurt eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” Betty asks, narrowing her eyes. “The sweet girl next door who just went along with whatever you wanted. Who never fought back or stood up for herself?”

“Betty, no!” Archie says, voice rising. 

“Come on, Betty,” Jughead mutters, trying to defend his friend. It quickly dies in his throat though when Betty turns her glare on him. 

“Excuse me for finally taking a stand,” Betty snaps. “For finally doing something that made me feel better. Safer. Excuse me for finally being true to myself for once.”

Archie leans in and whispers, his redhead temper making the tiniest of appearances, “Covering up murders? Actually comitting murder? That’s being true to yourself? Are you fucking serious?”

“You don’t everything about me, Archie,” Betty hisses. The coldness in her face breaks and Veronica jerks back from the rage she sees in Betty’s green eyes. “Stop trying to act like you ever did.”

“I’ve known you my entire life, Betty!” Archie snaps loud enough to draw a couple of curious looks. Veronica sees Josie stand up, leaning over the table to get a better look at the bickering pair. “Don’t just throw away all of that!”

“I’m not the one who threw it away, Archie,” Betty snaps back. She jabs a finger at him, pushing him back slightly. “You’re the one who dumped me, remember? You’re the one who couldn’t handle it and ran away like a coward.”

“I didn’t run away! I am still right here, Betty,” Archie insists, reaching for her hand again. Betty tries to pull away but Archie holds on tight, lacing their fingers together and squeezing until both of their knuckles turn white. “I am still here and I still love you. I never stopped.”

“Let me go, Archie,” Betty hisses, pulling on her hand. “Let me go right now.”

“Arch,” Jughead mutters, reaching up to squeeze Archie’s shoulder again. Archie finally looks away from Betty, relaxing his hand enough for her to slip free. She stands and stumbles away from the table, tears pooling in her eyes. “Come on, dude.”

“What?” Archie asks, mouth pressed into an angry line. “What am I supposed to do? Just let her drown in whatever the fuck is happening to her? I can’t do that, Jughead. I won’t.”

“Pushing her isn’t going to get you anywhere,” Jughead says, shaking his head. “I’m not disagreeing with you that something is going on with her but you can’t push her like this, okay?”

“I can’t accept that,” Archie says, shaking his head. He shrugs Jughead’s hand off of his shoulder and turns to Veronica. “I’m sure you agree with your boyfriend?”

“He has a point, Archiekins,” Veronica says softly. She doesn’t contradict him about the label. It sounds right but it doesn’t mean she misses the way Jughead’s eyebrows raise. “You’re just going to push her further away than you already have.”

Archie glares at the table, hands curling into fists on the table. He doesn’t say anything before he shoves away from the table and marches out of the cafeteria. Veronica sighs and puts both hands to her forehead, “He’s only going to make things worse.”

“His heart is in the right place,” Jughead mutters. Veronica looks up at him and raises an eyebrow until he rolls his eyes at her. “But yes. He is going to just make shit worse.”

“Thank you,” Veronica replies with a slight nod. They sit in companionable silence for a few minutes before Veronica sighs. “We should probably go after them right? As best friends?”

“Probably,” Jughead agrees though he doesn’t move. Veronica waits for him to stand up first and she can tell that he’s doing the same thing. “Are you going to go after her?”

“Are you going to go after him?” Veronica asks. Neither of them moves for a long minute before they sigh and stand up. “The work of a best friend is never done, is it?”

“Not with these two,” Jughead mutters. He wraps an arm around her shoulders as he guides them out of the cafeteria. Veronica rests her head against his shoulder and sighs. “You’ve got this, Lodge.”

“That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Veronica mutters. She doesn’t have to look up at him to know that he’s rolling his eyes. “What are we going to do, Jughead?”

“What we’ve been doing,” Jughead replies, tensing slightly and pulling her a little closer. “What else can we do?”

“It doesn’t feel like enough, Jug,” Veronica says. They stop at her locker, turning to look at each other. Archie is probably in the music room and Betty in the Blue & Gold office, opposite sides of the building. “I don’t like watching them both drown under all of this and not being able to do anything for them.”

“I don’t think Betty’s doing all that badly,” Jughead mutters with a hint of bitterness. “Pretty sure she’s just reeling from getting dumped.”

“Don’t be so dense, Jones, it doesn’t suit you,” Veronica replies, rolling her eyes. “Yes, Archie breaking up with her isn’t helping anything but she hasn’t been full throttle since Cheryl.”

“I’ll have to trust you on that one,” Jughead says. He pushes his hair out of his face and reaches up to adjust a beanie that isn’t there due to Weatherbee’s dress code. “Lunch is going to end soon. We’d better find them sooner rather than later.”

“I love you,” Veronica says softly, tilting her head back for a kiss. Jughead’s mouth twitches in a smile that’s all the answer that she needs before he kisses her soundly. She pulls away before either of them can get carried away, patting his cheek. “Let me know how it goes with Archie.”

“You let me know how it goes with Betty,” Jughead replies before kissing her forehead and walking away. Jughead watches him go with a slight smile on her face before spinning on her heel and almost running into Kevin.

“Jesus, Kevin,” Veronica says, putting a hand to her chest. She laughs a little and rolls her eyes. “Warn a girl, won’t you?”

“You know,” Kevin says, looking over her shoulder at Jughead’s retreating form. “I can’t say that I predicted Jeronica happening but I can’t say that you two together aren’t a titillating sight.”

“Jeronica?” Veronica asks, raising an eyebrow. 

“Would you prefer Vughead?” Kevin replies with a shrug. “I need something for my gossip column and I picked the lesser of two evils.”

“I suppose,” Veronica mutters with a frown. She doesn’t like the idea of being in the gossip column. She’d had enough of that while she was in New York. “But while your portmanteaus are entertaining, I feel like that’s not why you wanted to talk?”

“Right!” Kevin says, eyes brightening and a devious smirk spreading across her face. Veronica can’t help but respond in kind. She can tell when a gossip bomb is going to drop and, even if she’s trying to be a better person, she’s not totally immune to good gossip. “There’s another name to add to the suicide list.”

“What?” Veronica asks, stopping in her place. Whatever misbegotten glee that had filled her quickly drains away. She’s sure that she’s pale and shaking but she can’t really feel her body at that moment. “Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack,” Kevin says with a nod. Either he hasn’t noticed her reaction or he simply doesn’t care because he hasn’t lost that gleam in his eyes. “Ethel tried to drown herself Virginia Woolfe style in Sweetwater River last night.”

“Ethel?” Veronica whispers. She knows Ethel. They aren’t close. Aren’t even close to being close. But Veronica sat next to her during history, heard how sad she’d been reading Cheryl’s forged suicide note. 

“Apparently, she’d been secretly in love with Moose since kindergarten and couldn’t bear living in a world without him,” Kevin says, nodding. He loops his arms through Veronica’s and drags her down the hall towards the Blue & Gold office. “I was just heading to the Blue & Gold to start the latest RIP spread.”

“But you said tried,” Veronica mutters through her haze. She doesn’t fight Kevin as he guides her. She feels like she’s walking through a dream, the edges of her vision hazy and unclear. “Tried doesn’t mean dead, right?”

“I mean,” Kevin sighs. “It is Ethel. She’s not the brightest bulb.”

“What does that even mean?” Veronica snaps as they walk into the office. Betty looks up from whatever she’s working on with wide eyes, nervous and twitchy like she’s been caught doing something bad. Veronica can’t process it though. “What happened to Ethel, Kevin?”

“Ethel?” Betty asks, raising her eyebrows. A cool calm comes over her features that settles something in Veronica as well. “She tried to drown herself but she did it during crew practice. She’s fine. Maybe some pneumonia but it’s nothing to be worried about.”

“Way to steal my thunder, Betts,” Kevin mutters as he lets Veronica go. “I was just getting to that part.”

“Not fast enough, Kevin,” Veronica replies as she drops into an empty chair with a sigh. She glances at Betty, wondering if she’s feeling the same rush of guilt that Veronica is. She doubts it. Betty hasn’t felt an ounce of guilt through any of this. Then again, Ethel was innocent. As innocent as they come. “I can’t believe she tried to kill herself. Over Moose.”

“Well, what can you expect from the sad outsiders?” Kevin replies with a shrug. He’s oddly callous to the whole thing as he pulls his laptop out of his bag. Veronica raises an eyebrow at him, silently asking for further explanation. Kevin just rolls his eyes and gives Veronica a tight-lipped smile. “I’m not saying that it isn’t sad. It is. Of course it is. It’s just. . .the cool kids have set a trend and it’s only to be expected that you’re going to have some imitators.”

“That’s cold, Kevin,” Veronica says, shaking her head. Again, she glances at Betty but her attention is absorbed back into whatever it is that she’s working on. “Even for you.”

“Veronica. Ronnie. Ronniekins,” Kevin says with the same tight-lipped smile. He gestures to his laptop and Veronica rolls her eyes. “Some of us have work to do. Don’t you have class?”

“Fuck you, Keller,” Veronica says, mimicking his smile. He blows her a kiss and puts in his earbuds, signalling the end of their conversation. Veronica turns to look at Betty, sighing at how engrossed the blonde is in her work. “Bettykins? Any thoughts on our latest victim?”

“Our victim?” Betty asks without looking up. 

“Ethel and her attempt at a poetic end?” Veronica clarifies though she doesn’t think she needs to. “Any thoughts? Any exciting spreads to further share the dangers of teen suicide?”

“I think we’re all a little tired of reading the stats of teen suicides and first hand stories of how it’s supposed to get better,” Betty says, shaking her head. She closes her laptop and turns to Veronica with a shrug. “I don’t think we’re going to put in anything special. Maybe something about hospital visitation hours. Not that anyone is going to visit her, you know.”

“That’s awfully dour of you B,” Veronica says slowly. She knows that Betty isn’t all sunshine and flowers but Veronica isn’t used to her being so blatant about her cold center. At least, not at school and not in front of other people even if Kevin is absorbed in whatever it is he’s working on. “We could visit her. I’m sure she’d appreciate the company.”

“You want to visit Ethel?” Betty asks, sounding properly incredulous. “Have you ever even had a conversation with Ethel?”

“Well, not really,” Veronica says with a shrug. She doesn’t like the scrutiny that Betty is regarding her with. It makes her shift in her seat and feel too much like she did when they’d gone to that stupid house party together at the beginning of the year. “But isn’t the whole point of your many newspaper spreads? The many after-school specials that we’ve been subjected to? Making a kinder world?”

“Don’t be naive, Veronica,” Betty says, rolling her eyes. She packs up her laptop and swings her backpack onto her shoulder. “We both know that nothing’s really changed in the halls of Riverdale High. Everyone is still just as mean and hateful as they were when Cheryl was still around. At least back then, there was some order to the chaos - a pecking order, you know?”

“Wow, B, sounds like you’ve thought about this a lot,” Veronica says, raising her eyebrows. “Care to share with the class?”

“Don’t really have time, V,” Betty says and for the first time the nickname sounds nasty coming from her. “I have to meet with Josie on a project that we’re working on.”

“I can walk with you,” Veronica replies. She glances at the clock on the wall. “Fourth period isn’t even over yet. I have time to kill.”

“I can walk by myself,” Betty says with a laugh. “Shouldn’t you at least attempt to show up to class?”

“It’s physics, Betty,” Veronica says with a grimace. “I can get the notes from Dilton. Let me be your escort, Miss Cooper.”

Veronica doesn’t wait for an answer before looping her arm through Betty’s and guiding her out of the Blue & Gold office. Betty turns them towards the music room with a sigh but she doesn’t pull away from Veronica. Instead, she leans into her and relaxes. Veronica is almost sure that it’s the first time that she’s relaxed in days. 

“How are you holding up, Miss Cooper?” Veronica asks softly. They’re alone in the hallway but there’s no guarantee that they won’t be overheard. “With Archie and, now, Ethel?”

“I’m fine, Veronica,” Betty says. Veronica doesn’t believe her and she’s sure that Betty must know that. “I mean, I miss Archie. So much. But other than that, I’m fine.”

Veronica doesn’t push. She bites the inside of her cheek and rests her head against Betty’s, “And Ethel?”

“What about Ethel?” Betty asks, tensing up and pulling away from her a bit. Veronica tightens her grip and doesn’t let Betty pull her arm away from Veronica entirely. “Let go, V.”

“Not until you talk to me, B,” Veronica says, shaking her head. She drags Betty into an empty classroom and shuts the door behind them, leaning against it. Betty tries to reach for the door handle but Veronica grabs her wrist. “Talk. To. Me.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Betty says through clenched teeth. She doesn’t pull her arm free from Veronica’s grasp but she doesn’t meet Veronica’s eyes either. “What do you want me to say, Veronica?”

“I don’t know, Betty,” Veronica says with a disbelieving laugh. “Something. Anything that even remotely sounds like the truth or lets me into that brilliant head of yours.”

“There’s nothing to say!” Betty snaps, finally wrenching her arm free. “Nothing has changed and now Ethel is dead. So what? I’m supposed to feel bad about it? That she tried to off herself and failed is somehow my fault? Is that what you want me to say?”

Veronica jerks back with wide eyes. Betty’s face is red, her eyes wide with anger. She knew there was a powder keg inside of Betty but she hadn’t been on the receiving end of that anger in so long. She flounders for a minute before she straightens her spine and smooths her skirt out, regaining some semblance of cool even if it’s only on the surface. 

“You can’t act like we had nothing to do with it, Betts,” Veronica snaps. “She killed herself because  _ we _ killed Moose.”

“Oh please,” Betty says, rolling her eyes. “Ethel was a walking poster for teen suicide. She would have latched onto any excuse as soon as she found one good enough. At best, we just moved up her already existing timeline.”

“Jesus, Betty,” Veronica says, pinching the bridge of her nose and exhaling harshly. “Are you serious right now?”

“Are  _ you _ ?” Betty snaps back. She glares at Veronica with curled fists. Veronica scoffs. “You were right there with me through all of this and  _ now _ you’re what? Feeling guilty?”

“And you aren’t?” Veronica asks already knowing the answer. 

“No!” Betty replies easily, shaking her head. “Not in the least. They deserved what they got, Veronica. They were animals. All of them and we put them down before they could do any more harm.”

“And what about the harm that we’ve done?” Veronica asks. “What about the people that we’ve hurt with our actions?”

“Since when do you care?” Betty asks. She stares at Veronica, truly confused by everything that Veronica is saying. “Since when have you given a shit about anyone who goes to this school? You! The queen bee of her old school and who moved right into the role here without even blinking. Who the fuck are you to judge me?”

“I’m not judging you, Betty!” Veronica replies, stepping towards Betty with arms open. Betty flinches back and holds a hand up to stop her. “I just want to make sure you’re okay. I’m just trying to be your friend. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

“You’re just like the rest of them,” Betty says shaking her head. “I thought you were different. That you  _ understood _ but I was wrong. You’re just as bad a the rest of them.”

“Betty, please,” Veronica continues. She won’t back down. Not when she can see the way Betty is spiralling. 

“You. Archie. Jughead,” Betty says, shaking her head. “I thought you three got it. I thought that I could count on you for this until it was over but I was wrong.”

“Until what was over?” Veronica asks. There’s the sinking feeling in her stomach. It’s become so familiar to her that she should be used to it by now but she isn’t. She doesn’t think she ever will get used to it.  “What else could you possible do, Betty? The monsters. The biggest ones. They’re dead, already, Betty. It’s over.”

“It’s over when I say it is,” Betty hisses before she moves to the door. Veronica is still blocking the way but it doesn’t deter her. She reaches past Veronica and grips the door handle, pausing so that Veronica can move out of the way. “Move, Veronica.”

“Tell me what is going on, B,” Veronica asks, trying one last time. “Please. Let me in.”

“Full dark, no stars, V,” Betty says slowly. “That’s all it’s ever been, remember?”

“Of course I do,” Veronica says. She tries to touch Betty again, tries to wrap her fingers around Betty’s wrist but she flinches back. “Betty, I’m scared. You’re scaring me.”

That seems to break through whatever storm is running through Betty’s head. The anger and betrayal that’s been all over her face fades just a bit and Veronica recognizes her friend again. Her friend who is just as scared as Veronica. 

“I’m sorry, V,” Betty says slowly. “I am. But I can’t.”

Veronica doesn’t get to say anything else before Betty shoulders past her and rushes into the hall. 

-

Veronica confronts Josie after Vixens practice after a few days of silence from Betty, waiting outside the music room for the Pussycat practice to end. Valerie and Melody both raise their eyebrows at Veronica as they leave, hands linked together, but they don’t say anything. They both walk away, glancing over their shoulders a couple of times, but they know enough to know not to get involved. 

“Josie?” Veronica asks as she pokes her head into the music room. She’s still sitting at the piano, music sheets in front of her and eye closed as she tries out a few keys. Veronica calls Josie’s name again but she just holds up a hand until she finds whatever sound that she’s looking for. 

“What do you want, Veronica?” Josie asks, sounding annoyed before Veronica even gets a chance to say anything. “You’re interrupting my flow.”

“I thought practice was over,” Veronica says, pointing over her shoulder. “Melody and Valerie just left.”

“Just cause they left doesn’t mean I’m done working,” Josie says, rolling her eyes. She turns on the piano bench and raises her eyebrows. “Well?”

“What are you working on with Betty?” Veronica asks in a rush. There’s a piece that Veronica is missing. Betty is planning something that she isn’t telling Veronica about. Something that involves Josie for whatever reason.

“Why don’t you ask your girl?” Josie asks, narrowing her eyes at Veronica. “I’m not trying to be caught in the middle of whatever lover’s spat you two are having.”

“I just want to know what she’s planning Josie and what you have to do with it,” Veronica says, ignoring Josie’s snide remark. “It’s a simple enough question.”

“If it’s that simple then why are you bothering me about it?” Josie replies. She turns back to her sheet music and Veronica huffs. “Like I said, I’m not getting in between you two. I don’t need to end up on Betty’s shit list.”

“What? You’re scared of Betty now?” Veronica says with a sneer. When Josie doesn’t say anything back Veronica loses her patience. She marches across the music room and slams a hand down onto the music sheets. Josie sighs and sits up, giving Veronica a bored look. “Just tell me what I want to know and I’ll leave you alone.”

“What is your problem, Lodge?” Josie asks. She looks Veronica up and down slowly, sneering a little. “You’re not the queen bee that you think you are and you don’t have Cheryl to back you up anymore. I’m not going to give in just cause you want me to.”

“Why are you covering for her?” Veronica says. It doesn’t make any sense. Josie and Betty aren’t friends. As far as Veronica knows, they’ve never been friends. “What do you have to gain by keeping Betty’s secrets?”

“We made a deal and I plan on sticking to it,” Josie says through clenched teeth. “It’s as simple as that. Some of us have a moral code. We can’t all be two-faced bitches.”

“No, you’d rather just be a bitch straight to someone’s face,” Veronica says with a scoff. 

“At least I have the guts to be true to me,” Josie says with a casual shrug. “That’s why I was never under Cheryl’s thumb unlike some people.” Another snide up and down look. “Not really surprised that you found another shadow to hide under even if it is the small ass shadow of Betty Cooper.”

“God,” Veronica snaps. “Don’t you ever get tired of being so goddamn mean?”

“Is it mean if it’s the truth?” Josie asks, widening her eyes in mock innocence. 

“Cheryl died,” Veronica says. “She died and whatever meanness that she wore on her shoulders should have died with her. You don’t have to carry on her mantle.”

“You seem to forget that this is high school and that this is just the way it is,” Josie says, shaking her head. There’s pity on her face and it does nothing for Veronica’s mood. The last thing she wants is Josie McCoy’s pity. “Cheryl wore the crown. Now I wear the crown. The world keeps turning.”

“Thanks for nothing, Josie,” Veronica replies. She waits for a second, hoping that maybe something in Josie will soften, but all she gets is a sarcastic wave of Josie’s hand. She licks her lips and takes a deep breath. She knows that whatever Betty is planning won’t end well for any of them. The least she can do is warn Josie. Even if she knows that warning is going to fall on deaf ears. “Listen, Josie, about Betty.”

“God,” Josie groans, rolling her eyes. “You two are an absolute nightmare, you know that?”

She sorts through the pile of papers strewn across the piano before shoving a packet in Veronica’s direction. Veronica stares at it, completely unsure of what it is that Josie is trying to show her, “Are you going to take the damn petition or not?”

“Petition?” Veronica asks, breaking out of her daze. She talks the packet gingerly, eyes scanning over the list of signatures. There isn’t anything at the top of the page explaining what the list is for but Veronica recognizes the names of most of Riverdale High’s student body. “What is this for?”

“Something Betty was working on,” Josie says with an annoyed shrug. “She didn’t get into specifics. Just said that if I could get the entire student body to sign it that she would make it worth my while.”

“And what could Betty ever do for you to make it worthwhile?” Veronica asks. She notices the lack of Archie and Jughead’s signatures. 

“Her aunt works at a music conservatory in the city,” Josie says and the picture becomes crystal clear. “I help her and she puts in a good word for me.”

“What about the rest of the Pussycats?” Veronica asks, raising one eyebrow. “Do they know that you’re thinking about going solo?”

“I’m not!” Josie says quickly. She actually looks surprised that Veronica would even suggest something like that. “Melody and Valerie already have their music scholarships. I’m just lining my own thing up. They know that.”

“Are you sure about that?” Veronica asks. Something in Josie’s face flickers for a second before she nods resolutely. Veronica doesn’t buy it. “Look. You let me keep this list and I keep my mouth shut about your little aspirations.”

“I need to give that list to Betty,” Josie says, grabbing for the list. Veronica holds it out of her reach and wags a finger at Josie. “You are fucking with my future, Lodge. Give me that list.”

“You’ll get your recommendation or whatever from Betty’s aunt,” Veronica says. “I’ll make sure of it. Trust me.”

“You’re basically blackmailing me and you want me to trust you?” Josie asks, crossing her arms. 

“From one queen bee to another,” Veronica says, holding up the Girl Scout salute. “I promise you’ll get what you were promised.”

“I’m holding you to that, Lodge,” Josie snaps before turning her back on Veronica. 

Veronica knows a dismissal when she sees one and leaves the music room, pulling her phone from her bag. She dials Jughead’s number and curses under her breath when he doesn’t answer. She knows that this list is something important but she can’t think of what it could be. She needs help to sort this out, help from someone who knows Betty better than she does. She tries Jughead one more time before giving in and calling Archie. He answers on the second ring.

“Archiekins,” Veronica says. “There is a possible code red and I need to talk to you now.”

“It’s not a great time, Ronnie,” Archie mumbles. Veronica rolls her eyes. “Can I call you later?”

“What about code red do you not get?” Veronica replies, dispensing with any attempt at being pleasant. “Betty is planning something and we need to figure it out before it’s too late.”

“I can’t right now, Veronica,” Archie insists, saying each word slowly. “I’m a little busy.”

“What is more important than trying to prevent Betty’s self-destruction?” Veronica snaps. The list is burning a hole through her bag and her chest is tight. She needs to work this or she’s going to explode. “Or our mutual destruction in the fall out?”

“Ronnie!” Archie practically shouts into the phone. Veronica stops walking and clenches her jaw. “Betty told my dad that I was suicidal. He’s staging an intervention right now. I can’t talk, okay?”

She doesn’t get the chance to say anything else before Archie hangs up. Veronica stares at the black screen, unsure of what to do. If Betty went to Mr. Andrews then she probably got to Mr. Jones as well. How she did that, Veronica can’t be sure but it would explain why Jughead wasn’t answering her phone calls. 

“Fuck,” Veronica hisses before she turns on her heel and heads towards the Pembroke. She might as well go home and shower, try to be a normal teen for one night and get some homework done. She’s sure that she could puzzle this all out on her own but the thought of going through this without Archie or Jughead by her side is terrifying. 

She spends the entire walk home trying not to freak out, trying to distract herself from the many scenarios that she thinks Betty could be planning. None of them make any sense with the list of signatures that’s in her bag. She avoids the main lobby, using the back entrance to get into the building. The last thing she wants is to stumble upon her parents right now. She just wants the quiet and solitude of her bedroom.

She’s caught completely off guard by Betty’s blonde ponytail leaning over her desk, “Betty?”

Betty turns around with a bright smile on her face that doesn’t reach her eyes and looks forced, “Veronica! I was wondering when you were going to get home.”

“What are you doing here?” Veronica asks, dropping her bag on her bed. She tries to go for nonchalance but she can’t be sure that she’s succeeding. 

“I needed to talk to you,” Betty says slowly. She comes around to the other side of Veronica’s bed, leaning against one of the posts. She bites her bottom lip and sighs, eyes skirting away from Veronica’s. “I wanted to apologize for the way I acted the other day. You were just trying to be a good friend and I bit your head off for it.”

Veronica blinks at her comforter and slowly looks up at Betty. She definitely had not been expecting any sort of apology. 

“I know you were coming from a good place,” Betty continues when Veronica doesn’t say anything back. “And I know I’ve asked a lot of you over the past few months. It’s all bound to have an effect on you. Just like it did with Archie and Jughead.”

Betty raises her eyebrows at Veronica expectantly but Veronica doesn’t know what she’s supposed to say in this situation. Betty though doesn’t seem to need Veronica to say anything as she continues talking, “It’s why I had to do this, V. I had to protect you guys from what’s coming. I couldn’t bring you into another one of my messes.”

“What did you do, Betty?” Veronica asks, narrowing her eyes. Betty doesn’t answer but tears start to well in her big green eyes. Veronica doesn’t think before going around the bed to her. Her gut reaction to Betty Cooper crying overriding any other thought in her mind. “B?”

Betty accepts Veronica’s hug and presses her wet face to Veronica’s neck, breathing in deeply before pulling away. Veronica reaches up to wipe the tears from Betty’s face, frowning and waiting for any kind of explanation about what the hell is going on. Betty just leans into her palm before closing her eyes and shouting, “Mrs. Lodge? She’s in here!”

“Betty, what are you?” Veronica asks, pulling her hand away. She looks at her doorway as her parents come barging in, matching looks of worry on their faces. “What’s going on?”

“Veronica,” her mother sighs, hand on her chest. She looks at Veronica’s father briefly, eyes searching for something that she must not find considering the way she steels her spine before looking at Veronica again. “We were worried about you.”

“Worried about me? Why?” Veronica says with a slight laugh. It’s more like a huff of air that barely leaves her chest. There’s nothing jovial about the sound that she makes, nothing relaxed and easy the way a laugh should be. 

“Your friend, Betty, told us everything,” her father says, hands in his pockets and his best disappointed frown on his face. “She showed us your copy of  _ The Bell Jar _ .”

“My copy of . . . what?” Veronica asks, looking at Betty. Her eyes are wide and yearning and it all clicks into place for Veronica. “Betty. You didn’t. Please. Tell me you didn’t.”

Betty doesn’t answer just goes to stand with Veronica’s parents. Her father pulls a thin paperback from his pocket and holds it out to Veronica with raised eyebrows. She takes it with shaking hands and flips it open, seeing the highlighted passages and notes in her handwriting that she definitely did not write. She wonders when Betty became such an accomplished forger. 

“Daddy, I didn’t,” Veronica mutters, shaking her head. “I didn’t write this. I’ve never. Please. I didn’t write any of this.”

“Veronica, it’s okay,” her mother says, coming to her side. She gently takes the book away, dropping it onto the bed, before pulling Veronica into a hug. Veronica stares at Betty over her mother’s shoulder with wide eyes. Betty isn’t even looking at her, she’s talking with Veronica’s father. He has a hand on her shoulder and it looks like he’s thanking her. “I know how hard being a teenager is. I know, mija, but it gets better. I promise it does.”

Veronica pushes away from her mother and frowns at her, “You have no idea what my life is like. You have no idea what I’ve been through.”

“We have all been there, mija,” Hermione says with a patient smile. She tucks a loose strand of hair behind Veronica’s ear and it takes everything in her not to flinch away from the act. It’s so far removed from who her mother is, from who they are with each other. “We have all struggled to find our place when we’re young. But we both, your father and I, found it and you will too.”

“You’re never here, Mom,” Veronica snaps because she can’t help it. This doting mother act feels wrong and Veronica is sure that it’s all for Betty’s benefit. “Neither of you are. So how could you possibly think you know what it is that I’m going through?”

“Veronica,” her father says. “We’re only here to help you.”

“Help me with what?” Veronica asks, looking over her mother’s shoulder. “What exactly do you think is wrong with me?”

“We read your notes, Veronica,” Hiram says. “We may not be here but that doesn’t mean we’re just going to ignore the signs once they’re pointed out to us.”

“Pointed out by someone who isn’t me!” Veronica says. “You’re going to believe Betty? You’ve never even met her before!”

“Mija, please,” Hermione mutters. She cups Veronica’s face and there are actual tears in her mother’s eyes. Veronica doesn’t think she’s ever seen her mother cry before. “We’re all here because we care about you. That’s all.”

“Then listen to me,” Veronica says slowly. “None of this is what you think. I swear it’s not.”

“We’ve called someone for help,” Hiram interrupts. “To help you, I mean. We’re sparing no expense.”

“I don’t need help!” Veronica shouts. “I am fine! I swear that I am.”

“Please, Veronica, we all love you,” Betty says through her tears. Veronica can’t believe that she’s still crying. That’s she become such a convincing actress in such a short time. Or maybe she’s always been a great actress and Veronica just couldn’t see it. “We just want what’s best for you.”

“What’s best for me?” Veronica says with a scoff. “You just want me out of the way!”

“Veronica, please,” Betty whimpers. She covers her mouth with a hand before turning to Veronica's father. “I’m sorry, Mr. Lodge. I just. I can’t.”

“Of course. I’ll have Smithers take you home,” Hiram says, shooting Veronica another disappointed look. “Thank you, again, for bringing this to our attention.”

“Of course, Mr. Lodge,” Betty mumbles looking absolutely heartbroken. “I don’t need a ride home though. I think a walk would be good for me. Clear my head, you know?”

“Whatever you think is best,” Hiram says. He cups Betty’s elbow and guides her out of the room. “Let me walk you out all the same.”

“Daddy, you have to listen to me!” Veronica shouts at their retreating forms. He ignores her and Veronica groans, rolling her eyes. She turns to her mother fully prepared to try and make her see but she’s reading through the forged notes in  _ The Bell Jar _ . “Mom, you can’t be buying this can you?”

“I don’t . . . I don’t know what to believe, Veronica,” Hermione mutters. She points at a highlighted passage and bites her bottom lip. “This is your handwriting, mija. Your copy of this book. I’ve seen you reading it before. And you’ve been so distant lately, spending all of your time with that boy and locked away in your room.”

“You’ve barely been in town!” Veronica shouts. She snatches the book from her mother’s hands and throws it across the room. “Ignore what’s in that stupid book and listen to me! Actually listen to me for once!”

“I’m trying, Veronica, but none of this is making any sense to me!” Hermione snaps. “You want me to listen to you but why don’t you try listening to me?”

“Oh my god!” Veronica yells. “I cannot believe you are trying to do  _ this  _ right now.”

“And what exactly is  _ this _ ?” Hermione asks with finger quotes and everything. It takes everything in her for Veronica to not roll her eyes. 

“Making this into some stupid teenage rebellion thing when that’s not what’s happening,” Veronica says not bothering to tone down the sharpness of her voice. “You’re being manipulated by Betty but instead of seeing that, you’d rather play the ‘you’re a terrible daughter’ card.”

Hermione inhales sharply and Veronica knows what that means. She knows that she’s lost this battle of wills. She’s gearing up to apologize, to blame her Lodge temper for everything she’d just said, but Hermione sweeps past her to the door. She holds a hand up to stop whatever it is Veronica was going to say to try and rectify the situation, “I think you need some time on your own, Veronica. You’re clearly upset. I’ll bring you something to eat when you’ve calmed down.”

Veronica doesn’t bother trying to talk to her anymore. Right now, she needs to talk to the guys. Needs to talk to someone who knows what Betty is and what she’s capable of. She knows that Archie is going through the same thing that she is. Betty had played the same game with the Andrews that she’d just played with the Lodges. She’s sure that she’s done the same with the Jones family but until she hears it directly from Jughead she has the slightest bit of hope.

She sends him a text, a code red alert that she knows he won’t ignore, and waits. 

For hours. 

She’s getting ready to just sneak out of her room and go find him herself when she hears the servant’s entrance creak open. Veronica sighs and stands up from her desk, turning with a smile on her face, “Jesus, Jughead, way to keep a girl waiting.”

“Oh, V, Jughead’s still on lock down by his father,” Betty says, shaking her head. Her ponytail is gone and there’s a smug smirk on her face that Veronica hates. “I just wanted to check on you to make sure you were okay.”

“Betty,” Veronica hisses. She marches across the room and grabs her wrist, dragging her to her bedroom door. “You are going to tell my parents that you forged those notes. You are going to undo whatever the fuck it is you’re doing.”

“I don’t think so, V,” Betty says, pulling her arm free. “There’s still so much to do and I can’t have you getting in the way. This is for your own good, V.”

“What are you trying to do, Betty?” Veronica asks. “I know about the list of signatures that Josie has been collecting for you.”

“You have that?” Betty asks, raising her eyebrows. “I was wondering what was taking Josie so long. I mean, as the latest Queen Bee of Riverdale High I expected a much faster turnaround from her.”

“What is it for, Betty?” 

“For the ultimate solution to all of our problems, Veronica!” Betty says with a wide smile. “I finally figured it out, how to fix everything that’s wrong with Riverdale. I have you to thank for the idea, actually. I never would have figured it out with your help.”

“Figured what out?” Veronica asks, tilting her head. She’s inching towards her phone on her nightstand but Betty sees the movement and grabs it before Veronica has a chance to. She tucks Veronica’s phone into her back pocket and sighs. “Come on, Betty. You obviously want to tell me. So tell me.”

“Can I trust you Veronica?” Betty asks, narrowing her eyes. “Can I trust that you aren’t going to go running to Keller or Weatherbee?”

“You know you can trust me!” Veronica says though she knows it’s believable. Betty knows it too. “I think I’ve proven to you that you can trust me, haven’t I?”

“This is different, V,” Betty says. “I need you with me 100%.”

“Full dark, no stars,” Veronica says with a nod. It’s the right words to say because a sweetness spreads across Betty’s face. It's the same sweetness that had endeared Betty to Veronica to begin with. It almost breaks Veronica’s heart that that sweetness can still be there after everything. 

“I’m going to end it all,” Betty says slowly. She clenches her hands together and looks almost anxious to tell Veronica any of this. Like she’s eager to get Veronica’s approval. “The entire damn cycle. I’m going to end it and I just wanted to make sure you that you weren’t involved this time. You and Jughead and Archie. I wanted to keep you out of it. To protect you.”

“Protect us from what?” Veronica says slowly. She sits down on the bed, turning her back on Betty. She doesn’t think she can keep seeing the earnest love on Betty’s face right now. Not when she knows that the Betty that she knows, the Betty that she loves, is splintering into a million pieces. 

“From what I have to do,” Betty says. She rushes around the bed and kneels down in front of Veronica, taking her hands into her own. She licks her lips and smiles at Veronica, a genuine smile that brightens her entire face. “I have to protect you guys to make up for everything else. So, just let me do that.”

“Just tell me what you’re planning, Betty,” Veronica insists, increasing how hard she’s clutching Betty’s hands. “I can help you. Whatever it is. I can help.”

Betty looks like she’s considering it for a long minute. She opens her mouth and Veronica inhales sharply, bracing herself for whatever it is that Betty is going to tell her. Just as Betty starts to say something though, Veronica’s phone in Betty’s pocket pings with a text. Betty pauses to pull the phone out, unlocking it easily and reading the text message.

“Jughead says that you two will tackle the ‘Betty problem’ together,” Betty says slowly. She laughs a little. “Isn’t that sweet? Who knew you two were such a dynamic duo?”

“We’re just worried about you, B,” Veronica says quickly, trying to smooth it all over. She laces her fingers together with the hand she’s still holding, trying to keep that connection between them alive. “I swear that’s all it was.”

“And here I was trying to protect you when you’re just as bad as the rest of them,” Betty says, shaking her head. “I should have known. I’m so stupid for falling for your reformed bad girl act.”

“It’s not an act, Betty,” Veronica says, shaking her head. “I swear it isn’t.”

Betty glares at Veronica through her lashes and pockets Veronica’s phone again. She frees her hand and stands up, scraping her hair back into a ponytail. Betty’s face is calm and cold and everything that haunts Veronica’s nightmares. She tilts her head and sighs, “I’m sorry Veronica. I really am. We could have gone through this together. We could have been epic. I just want you to remember that you brought this on yourself.”

“Brought what upon myself?” Veronica asks. Her stomach drops and she stands up. Betty reaches into her jacket pocket and pulls out a syringe. “Betty, you don’t have to do this! Please.”

“This is for the best, Veronica,” Betty says slowly. She holds up a hand and takes a cautious step towards Veronica as if she’s approaching a skittish animal. “It’s for your own protection.”

“Protection? You’re going to kill me and call it protection?” Veronica snaps. She tries to dart around Betty but she’s faster than Veronica, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her back against Betty’s chest. “Betty, please, I don’t want to die.”

“Stop being dramatic,” Betty snaps. She slips the needle into Veronica’s neck, a sharp sting that fades almost as quickly as it happens. “No one is dying tonight.”

“Betty, please,” Veronica mumbles as Betty pushes the plunger. She feels an instant lightness rush through her limbs. Veronica blinks as her room gets fuzzy in front of her. “Be-Betty?”

“It’ll all be done by the time you wake up,” Betty whispers against Veronica’s neck. She kisses Veronica’s cheek and lowers her to the bed facedown. “I still love you, V, and everything will be better tomorrow. Promise.”

Veronica tries to call Betty’s name again but the darkness rushes in on her.

-

“Veronica?” Jughead asks as he shakes her awake. Veronica’s hands fly out, smacking at him desperately trying to break free. “Veronica, it’s me. It’s Jughead.”

Veronica gasps as her eyes fly open. She flinches back from the bright light of her bedroom. Her heart is pounding and her mouth is dry but she still feels groggy, still feels like she’s wading through a fog. Jughead’s worried face barely comes into focus in front of her before she finally just gives up and closes her eyes again, “Jughead?”

“Hey sleeping beauty,” Jughead mutters before kissing her forehead. “You scared the shit out of me. Where’s your phone?”

Veronica groans and presses a hand to her forehead. She licks her lips and tries to stay awake, “Betty. She. Fuck my head hurts.”

“Betty was here?” Jughead asks. He sits down on the bed and slowly props Veronica up against his side. Veronica leans her head against his shoulder and inhales the scent of his cheap aftershave. The sharpness of it clears some of the fog but does nothing for her headache. “Did she do this to you?”

“Yeah,” Veronica mumbles. “I need water.”

“Yeah, of course,” Jughead says quickly. He lays her back down on her pillows, tucking her hair behind her ear. She reaches for his hand, brushing her fingers along his knuckles. “I’ll be right back. I promise.”

Veronica hums, nodding a little. She starts to drift away again, feels the tugging of the drug still in her system. She’s barely asleep when she feels Jughead sit down on the bed next to her again. He presses the cool rim of a glass to her mouth and Veronica drinks down the water greedily. She chugs half the glass before pausing to catch her breath. 

“What are you doing here?” Veronica mumbles before finishing the rest of the water. 

“You never called me back,” Jughead says with a shrug. “I was worried about you.”

“Did Betty get to your parents, too?” Veronica asks. Her eyes keep drooping but she fights to stay awake. The water has helped but it hasn’t completely mitigated the effects of whatever Betty injected her with. 

“She tried,” Jughead says with a sigh. He wipes at his face with a hand and pulls her closer to him. “Dad’s on a bender so it didn’t exactly take.”

Veronica sighs and sinks into his side, taking deep breaths of his smell. She gingerly puts the empty water glass on the side table. She licks her lips and looks up at him with a frown, “We have to stop her. She’s planning something. Something that she wanted to protect us from.”

“Well getting the three of us on suicide watch is definitely one way to keep us out of the way,” Jughead says, rolling his eyes. “But what could she possibly be trying to pull?”

“She said she’d figured it out,” Veronica says slowly. “She’d found a way to end it all.”

“You think she’s going to try and kill herself?” Jughead asks. Veronica swallows the lump in her throat.

“No way,” Veronica says, shaking her head. “She wanted to protect us, to keep us out of it. Her killing herself? It doesn’t make sense with that.”

“Fair,” Jughead mutters. He sighs and sinks further into the pillows, wrapping his other arm around her waist. Veronica goes easily enough, draping half of her body over his. She rests her head on his chest and listens to the sound of his heart beating in his chest. It does nothing to keep her from falling back asleep. “Maybe she’s found someone else to take out. Someone else she thinks deserves to have a suicide note written for.”

“Maybe,” Veronica mutters. She snuggles into Jughead a little more, wrapping her leg around his own. “I’m still really groggy.”

“Trust me,” Jughead replies. He wraps a hand around her thigh and holds her close. “I can tell. Not that I mind or anything. You can be my blanket whenever you want.”

“I need to sleep this stuff off, I think,” Veronica mumbles, smiling a little bit. “But I don’t want to. Not when Betty is out there doing who knows what.”

“I’ll text Archie,” Jughead says. He pulls off his beanie and turns the light on the nightstand off, pulls the blanket up over them. “Make sure he keeps an eye on Betty tonight. You said it’s all going down tomorrow, right?”

“Mmhm,” Veronica hums with a nod. She’s fading into sleep again, letting the remnants of the drugs pull her back down into the darkness. She thinks she mumbles an I-love-you to Jughead but everything is so fuzzy and far away that she can’t be sure before she falls back asleep. 

When Veronica wakes back up, the sun is streaming through the window and Jughead’s alarm for school is going off. She searches his pockets until she finds it and thumbs off the piercing sound. Her head is pounding and her mouth is dry again but she’s not groggy like she had been the first time she’d woken up. If anything that’s an improvement. 

“Jughead,” Veronica murmurs, blinking her eyes repeatedly. She shakes his shoulder and sits up, holding a hand to her head. “Wake up.”

“I’m awake,” Jughead replies but he doesn’t move. Instead, he wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her down to him again, pressing his nose to her hair and inhaling deeply. 

“Your eyes are still closed,” Veronica says. She tries not to sink into his warmth but it’s hard. 

“Doesn’t mean that I’m not awake,” he says. He cracks an eye open and looks down at her. “You look like shit.”

“Gee, you really know what to say to a girl,” Veronica says, rolling her eyes. She fixes her ponytail and checks the time on her phone. There’s enough time for them to go to Pop’s before first period but more importantly there’s a text message from Archie. “You have a text from Archie.”

“Read it,” Jughead mutters as he sits up. He rubs a hand over his eyes and blinks at the light. Veronica runs a hand through his hair and he leans into her palm, sighing a little. “It’s probably an update on Betty. Maybe. Hopefully.”

Veronica thumbs his phone open and pulls on her bottom lip as she reads the text out loud, “Betty didn’t come home last night. Keller stopped by the Cooper house. Mrs. Cooper probably called the sheriff's office. But she did slip back in the house sometime last night because Archie could see her getting ready for school this morning.”

“That doesn’t help much,” Jughead mutters. He pulls his beanie on and leans over to kiss her. “Let’s get to school. We can figure it out once we’re there.”

“I’m afraid it’ll be too late by then,” Veronica says with a sigh. But she nods in agreement and slides from the bed, stumbling out of her bedroom to the bathroom down the hall. Jughead follows after her, a hand on her hip, and his warmth sinking into her back. 

“Mija?” Hermione asks from the end of the hall. Veronica jerks to a stop, Jughead bumping into her back. Her mother narrows her eyes at Jughead and crosses her arms. “Want to introduce me to your friend?”

“Mom,” Veronica says slowly. “This is Jughead Jones the third. Jughead, this is my mother.”

“Mrs. Lodge,” Jughead says, stepping around Veronica and holding a hand out. Hermione just looks him up and down and makes no effort to return the greeting.

“Veronica, can I have a word in private?” Hermione says, looking at her over Jughead’s shoulder. She gives Jughead a cold smile that Veronica’s knows far too well. “A pleasure, Mr. Jones.”

Veronica scurries past Jughead, brushing her fingers along his jaw as she goes past. Hermione sees the motion and it freezes her smile even tighter than it was before. Veronica braces herself for whatever it is that Hermione wants to say, she knows that it won’t be good especially considering their fight the night before. 

“Care to explain why there is a boy coming out of your room this morning?” Hermione asks as she loops her arm through Veronica’s and guides her to the kitchen. “Especially considering he was not there when we finished talking last night.”

“He wanted to check on me,” Veronica says slowly. “He’s my boyfriend. He’s good for me.”

“A boyfriend that I’ve never met?” Hermione asks, raising her eyebrows. “That you’ve never mentioned? Who feels comfortable sneaking into your room at night?”

“Need I remind you of how many times you’ve been home since we moved to Riverdale?” Veronica asks, mimicking her mother’s face. Hermione doesn’t have anything to say back to that and Veronica can’t help the rush of victory that runs through her veins. “Now if you don’t mind. I need to get ready for school.”

“You’re not going to school today,” her mother says quickly, shaking her head. “You’re staying home today until your father can arrange a treatment plan for you.”

“A treatment plan?” Veronica asks, feeling her stomach drop. “You can’t be serious.”

“We take suicidal ideation very seriously, Veronica,” Hermione says, nodding her head. If anything it sounds like she’s trying to convince herself of that, not Veronica. Veronica groans and presses a hand to her forehead, irritation clouding her already fuzzy mind. Hermione softens just a little though and reaches out to cup Veronica’s cheek. “You should just rest today, mija. Rest and be thankful that you have such good friends.”

A lightbulb goes off in Veronica’s mind. Betty. Everything about the last fourteen hours had been by Betty’s doing. She didn’t want Veronica getting in the way, wanted to keep her safe and out of the way. Whatever she was planning, whatever the final solution was, it was happening at school. 

“I have to go,” Veronica says, turning her back on her mother without another thought. She runs into Jughead in the hallway, ignoring her mother calling her name. “Jughead. I know what she’s planning. Or I have an idea of where it’s happening. But we need to call Archie. Now.”

“But your mom,” Jughead mumbles, looking over Veronica’s shoulder. “Shouldn’t we?”

“We don’t have time, Forsythe!” Veronica snaps. She reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone, dialling Archie’s number. “Get your stuff. We’re leaving. Now.”

“Veronica!” Hermione snaps from behind her. “You cannot just run away from this.”

“I don’t have time for this, Mother,” Veronica calls over her shoulder. The phone is ringing in her ear and Jughead is trying to get her attention as she drags them back to her bedroom to get his shoes and none of it matters because she knows that whatever Betty is planning is bad. It can’t be anything other than bad. 

“Jughead?” Archie answers finally. 

“Thank god,” Veronica breathes. She shuts the door in her mother’s face and locks it, ignoring her pounding fist against the wood. “Are you going to school today?”

“Veronica? What are you doing with Jughead’s phone?” Archie asks.

“Answer the question, Andrews,” Veronica snaps. She shoves her feet into her sneakers, doesn’t even bother to try and fix her appearance. “Are you on lock down or not?”

“My dad wants me to stay home, yeah,” Archie says slowly. “Thinks it would be better if I just spent the day resting.”

“And let me guess,” Veronica says, waving a hand at Jughead to hurry up lacing up his boots. “It was Betty’s idea.”

“Yeah, it was actually,” Archie says. He pauses for a long minute, probably coming to the same conclusion that she had. “She’s planning something isn’t she?”

“Yeah, something where she needs the three of us out of the way,” Veronica explains. “Today’s the pep rally, right?”

“The whole school is going to be there,” Archie says. “Fuck.”

“She went on about how she was going to solve all of our problems,” Veronica says. She reaches out to grab Jughead’s hand and drags him to the servant’s entrance in her room. “She wanted us to stay away from school today. Why else would she throw around these fake suicide notes?”

“She went to your parents too?” Archie asks, sounding far more worried than he had a moment ago. 

“And Jughead’s dad,” Veronica confirms. “Look just meet us by the gym. We’ll figure it out once we’re there.”

Archie says his goodbyes and Veronica shoves the phone back into Jughead’s direction. Jughead fumbles for a second as he follows her down the stairs, huffing slightly, “Care to share with the rest of the class?”

“There’s a pep rally today,” Veronica explains. “A mandatory pep rally all about the suicides that have been happening lately.”

“Yeah and?” Jughead asks. 

“And this is the perfect opportunity for Betty to pull off her final solution,” Veronica says slowly. It should be obvious to him. It’s obvious to her and Archie. There’s no way that Jughead has missed the signs. “Come on, Jones. You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about this.”

“She can’t poison the entire school in one go,” Jughead points out. “This isn’t Jonestown.”

“No but she could try and make it a Waco,” Veronica replies. She looks at Jughead over her shoulder but he’s stopped a few steps back. He’s frowning down at his boots, hands curled into fists at his sides. “Jughead?”

“This is our fault, isn’t it?” he asks. Veronica jerks back like he slapped her. He looks up at her, mouth pressed into a thin and angry line. “If we had done something sooner, said something to someone, she wouldn’t have gotten this bad. This is on us.”

“Nothing is on us because we are going to stop her,” Veronica says, shaking her head. But he’s right. She knows that he’s right. If they had said something after Cheryl, gone to someone instead of hiding everything maybe they wouldn’t be here right now. “We are going to stop her, Jughead, but I need you with me on this.”

“And I am, Veronica,” Jughead says. She doesn’t believe him. Not entirely. There’s still so much doubt and guilt on his face. She doesn’t know that he isn’t entirely blinded by it. “I am.”

She reaches up and grabs his hand, unclenches his fingers so that she can press her palm against his own. He looks down at their joined hands but none of the tension drains out of him. Veronica goes up the two steps separating them and runs her thumb over the crease between his eyebrows, smoothing it away with each pass of her thumb. Eventually, Jughead looks at her with wide and desperate eyes. 

“You’re right,” Veronica says softly. “We did this. We let this happen. But that doesn’t mean it’s too late, Jughead. We can start and finish wars, okay?”

“I worship you,” Jughead mutters. Her heart skips a beat in her chest and she can’t help but lean up and press a chaste kiss to his mouth. “Our love is God.”

“Damn straight it is,” Veronica says with a nod. She squeezes his hand a little tighter and turns on her heel back towards the building exit. She glances at Jughead over her shoulder and raises her eyebrows. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” Jughead mutters as they walk out into the morning light. 

-

 Archie is pacing outside of the gym doors when they get to the school, chewing on his thumb nail. Veronica rolls her eyes at how obvious he’s being but at least he’s there. Jughead rushes over to him and pulls the redhead into a tight hug that Archie quickly returns. Veronica doesn’t think before she wraps her arms around them and breathes them in. 

“Have either of you seen Betty?” Archie asks as he pulls away. He doesn’t let go of either of them though, keeping a hand on both Jughead and Veronica’s shoulders. “I didn’t see her when I left this morning and Mrs. Cooper said that Betty had left early.”

“We didn’t see her,” Veronica says, shaking her head. “She’s got to be in the school already.”

“Are you guys absolutely sure that she’s even planning anything?” Archie asks. The hope and desperation on his face breaks Veronica’s heart but she can’t give him the answer that he wants. “I mean, come on guys. This is Betty we’re talking about. Betty. She couldn’t. She  _ wouldn’t _ pull some Columbine thing. She just wouldn’t.”

“Tell that to Reggie and Moose, Arch,” Jughead mutters lowly. “She’s off the deep end, man.”

“She’s still Betty,” Archie insists, shaking her head. “She’s still our friend. I - fuck, I still love her.”

“We all do, Archie,” Veronica says softly. “But that doesn’t change the fact that she’s going to try and kill everyone here.”

“So what do we do?” Archie asks. He won’t meet Veronica’s eyes and it does nothing to make her believe that he’s with them 100%.

“We need to clear out the school, at the very least,” Jughead says, looking towards the school. They can see the students filing into the gym, can hear the music already pouring out of the open doors. “Get rid of the target and all that.”

“But that’s only half the problem,” Veronica says, shaking her head. “We still don’t know what Betty is planning. All the other deaths were poison. There’s no way that she’s going to be able to poison the entire school.”

“Plus you can’t really get your message across or cause the most damage with poison,” Jughead replies. He bites his bottom lip, staring at the school. “Maybe Archie was right. Maybe she is planning a Columbine-esque situation.”

“Betty is not going to march through the halls with an assault rifle, Jughead,” Archie snaps instantly, frowning at Jughead. “That’s too much. Regardless of her mental state, we’ve all got to agree that’s too much for Betty.”

“Archie is right, Jug,” Veronica agrees. “That’s not Betty.”

“Walking down the halls with machine guns wasn’t the original plan,” Jughead says shaking his head. “The original plan was bombs. Set off bombs and take out the survivors with rifles.”

“Should I be scared that you know that?” Veronica asks, raising her eyebrows. Archie’s expression matches her own but neither of them move away from Jughead. 

“Fuck off, Lodge,” Jughead says, rolling his eyes. “I’m serious. What better way to get as many people as possible? A bomb makes perfect sense. Ultimate damage but still far enough removed.”

“Well, where would she set up a bomb?” Archie asks. They all glance at the school and inhale sharply. The halls are empty and the gym doors are closed. The pep rally is probably starting. They don’t have much time. “What’s under the gym?”

“Boiler room,” Jughead replies quickly. Again, Veronica looks at him with raised eyebrows. Jughead gives her a dry look that makes her smile a little despite everything. “You two get to Betty. I’ll get the school emptied out.”

“You don’t want to come with us?” Archie asks. “It should be all three of us.”

“Someone has to get everyone out just in case and you two are Betty’s rocks,” Jughead replies. “If anyone can get through to her it’s going to be you two.”

“I don’t like the idea of splitting up,” Archie mutters. He squeezes Veronica shoulder a little tighter to hide how his hands are shaking. Veronica reaches up and grabs his wrist, reaching out to grab Jughead’s hand and linking them all together. “I don’t think I can do this without both of you.”

“I’ve got you, Archie,” Veronica says softly. She rubs her thumb over his pounding pulse and squeezes Jughead’s hand tighter. “And Jughead’s with us. You’re not alone and neither is Betty.”

“We’re with you, Arch,” Jughead says. He wraps a hand around Archie’s neck and pulls him forward to press their foreheads together. “Full dark, no stars, Arch. We’re finishing this today.”

Archie laughs a little, bitter and quiet, but he relaxes a little and nods, “Full dark, no stars. For Betty.”

“For Betty,” Veronica replies. She reaches up and kisses Archie’s cheek before pulling Jughead away so that she can kiss him properly. “Get everyone out and then get out yourself.”

“Don’t give me that shit, Lodge,” Jughead mutters, shaking his head. “I’m getting everyone out and then  coming back for you, understand?”

“Jughead,” Veronica says, trying to keep her voice steady. 

“I’m not arguing about this, Veronica,” Jughead says. He grips her waist and pulls her closer, his free hand coming up to cup her jaw. “We are getting out of this together. Got it?”

“Got it,” Veronica whispers. Jughead nods before leaning in to kiss her again. “Be careful, Jones.”

“Follow your own advice, Lodge,” Jughead says, smirking at her a little. He looks at Archie over Veronica’s shoulder and nods. “You too, Arch. Be careful.”

They don’t say anything else before they head into the school in their respective directions. Archie takes Veronica’s hand in his own as they go down the stairs to the basement. They can hear the music from the gym, can feel the pounding of everyone’s feet as they sing the school’s anthem. 

“What if she’s not down here?” Archie asks quietly as they creep towards the boiler room. The pipes hiss and pop but it doesn’t drown out the gym. Its loud enough that they know Betty won’t hear them coming. 

“She’ll be here,” Veronica says with a confidence that she doesn’t fully feel. 

They pause just before opening the door to the boiler room, looking at each other with grim smiles. Veronica nods and Archie pushes the door open. Betty is there, tinkering with a timer on a homemade bomb that’s strapped to the water heater. She stops what she’s doing and turns to them slowly, shaking her head and giving them a rueful smile. 

“I should have known you guys wouldn’t be able to stay away,” Betty says with a sigh. She runs a hand through her hair and gestures to where Archie and Veronica are holding hands. “Don’t tell me you’ve boy-hopped already, V. Did Juggie not live up to expectations.”

“Betty what are you doing?” Archie asks slowly. He doesn’t let go of Veronica’s hand but he does step forward slightly blocking Veronica from Betty’s sight. 

“What does it look like Arch?” Betty asks, gesturing to the bomb. “I know you can be slow on the uptake but even you’ve got to know what this is.”

“Stop it, Betty,” Veronica snaps, pushing past Archie. She’s not going to hide behind him. Not from Betty. “Just stop whatever this is. Disable that bomb and come with us. Please.”

“You think this is a bomb?” Betty asks, laughing a little. “No. This is nothing. The thermals under the bleachers though. Now those . . .  _ those  _ are bombs.”

“Why, Betty?” Archie asks. Veronica doesn’t have to turn to him to know that he’s crying. She can hear it in his voice. Betty hears it too because her face softens just the tiniest bit. It’s barely perceptible but Veronica can see it plain as day. “Why are you doing this?”

“I have to, Arch,” Betty says. Her voice is thick and even though there aren’t any tears in her eyes, Veronica thinks she can’t be too far from them. “It’s the only way.”

“The only way? Killing all our classmates is the only way?” Archie asks. “Come on, Betty. You know that’s not true.”

“Well how else is it supposed to stop?” Betty shouts. “How else is all of the pain and the hurt supposed to go away? How else is anyone going to learn?”

“How are they going to learn, Betty?” Veronica asks, trying to appeal to her logical side. “How is anyone going to learn anything from a bomb going off?”

“The suicide note, of course,” Betty says, shifting her attention. “You saw it already. I have it set up to go out after the bomb goes off. It explains everything.”

Veronica sighs and closes her eyes. The list of signatures. That missing bit falls into place and Veronica feels her stomach drop. Maybe Jughead was right, maybe Betty was beyond saving. 

“Betty this isn’t you,” Archie continues. He takes a step towards her, letting go of Veronica’s hand. Betty takes a step back and snatches the detonator from where she’d left it. Archie drops his hands but doesn’t stop moving towards her. “I know you’re hurting and that everything sucks but this isn’t you. I know it’s not.”

“And how do you know, Archie? How could you possibly know?” Betty snaps, tears pouring down her face openly. “After everything that I’ve done - that you’ve helped me do - how could you possibly know that?”

“Because I remember the Betty Cooper who wouldn’t let me quit when I was learning to read,” Archie says slowly. Betty’s face crumbles a little more, her eyes closing tightly. “I remember the Betty Cooper who drew daisies all over my cast when I broke my arm in the fifth grade. The Betty Cooper who was my first kiss when we were twelve and freaking out about our first middle school party. The Betty Cooper who held my hand all night when my mom moved out.”

“Archie,” Betty whimpers, falling to her knees. Archie kneels down next to her, pulling her into his arms. “I hurt so much Archie. Everything hurts.”

“I know, Betty,” Archie mumbles into Betty’s hair. Betty cries into Archie’s chest, heaving sobs that break Veronica’s heart. “I know.”

Veronica kneels down next to them and pries the detonator from Betty’s hand, gingerly putting it as far away from Betty as she can. Archie is still whispering into Betty’s hair, trying to comfort her as best he can. Veronica doesn’t add anything else but she does wrap her arms around Betty from the other side, watching the doorway for Jughead. 

“I’m so sorry,” Betty mumbles into Archie’s shirt, shaking her head. “I just. I’m sorry.”

“We know, Betts,” Archie replies, squeezing her tighter. “We know.”

“Archie? Veronica?” Jughead says as he steps through the doorway. He freezes when he sees the bomb attached to the water heater, fear clouding his face, but Veronica holds a hand out to him and beckons him forward. He’s hesitant but kneels down next to them, clutching Veronica’s hand tightly. “Betty? You okay?”

“Not even close to being okay,” Betty says, voice devoid of any emotion. “Have I ever been okay?”

“Don’t say that, Betty,” Archie says. He pulls away from her and cups her face, rubbing his thumbs over her cheeks. “Everything is going to be fine. I promise.”

“You can’t promise that,” Betty says. She closes her eyes and tears start to pour down her cheeks again. “You can’t know for sure, Arch.”

“You’re right,” he agrees. “I can’t know for sure but I can still be here for you. I can be here for however long it takes for you to be okay.”

“Archie,” Betty says with a whimper, leaning into his chest again. 

Archie looks up at Jughead and Veronica, tears streaking his face. He looks just as lost as Veronica feels. There’s no manual for this, no guide for helping your friend come back from the edge of oblivion. Veronica looks at Jughead but he’s looking over his shoulder with a frown. Veronica pulls on his hand and raises her eyebrows in a silent question. 

“I told Weatherbee,” Jughead mutters. “That Betty might do something. He called Keller.”

“Jughead,” Veronica says, shocked that Jughead would go that far. “We can’t -”

“Can’t what?” Jughead snaps. “Can’t get her the help that she needs? The help that we should have gotten months ago?”

“They’re going to lock her away,” Archie says. He presses his mouth to Betty’s hair and glares at Jughead over the top of Betty’s head. “Is that what you want?”

“I want her to get help!” Jughead shouts. “I want to save my friend just like you do but we can’t do it on our own. Look where that’s gotten us so far!”

“Did you tell him about Moose and Reggie? About Cheryl?” Veronica asks, trying to talk past the lump in her throat. Jughead shakes his head and something inside Veronica unclenches. She touches Betty’s hair and tries to smile at Archie. “Come on, Archie. She’ll get the help that she needs. You know that. She knows that.”

“They’re right, Archie,” Betty mumbles. She pulls away from Archie, sniffing loudly and keeping her eyes downcast. “We can’t keep running from this . . . darkness inside me. I just. I can’t do it anymore. I don’t want to.”

“Jughead?” Sheriff Keller calls from the hallway as he steps through the doorway with his gun drawn. He takes in the sight of them huddled on the ground, the bomb with it’s glowing countdown that hasn’t started yet, and something in his face falls. He lets out a long sigh and shakes his head. “Come on, kids. Let the bomb squad in.”

He calls it in on his radio and waves for them to hurry up. Archie and Veronica hold onto Betty, support her between the two of them as they file out of the boiler room. Jughead keeps looking over his shoulder at them, at Betty, as if she’s going to turn around at any minute and set the bomb off. Keller stays close to Betty, pressing her forward with a hand on her shoulder. 

Veronica knows what’s coming once they’re out of the basement. They all do. 

“Can you not cuff her?” Archie asks as they emerge from the basement. He squares his shoulder and looks Keller in the eye. “Please.”

Keller looks at Betty’s slumped frame and vacant eyes. He looks past them towards the crowd of students milling just outside of the school. People already have their phones out and Veronica is sure that this incident is all over twitter already. It’s only a matter of time before the parents start to roll in demanding answers. 

“Just stay close,” Keller mutters, pressing his hand to Betty’s back once again. He guides her forward towards the door but Archie doesn’t move far away, doesn’t let go of Betty’s arm. Veronica thinks that if he did let her go, Betty would just collapse on the spot. Whatever had been holding Betty Cooper together the past few months is gone and they’re left with a shell of a girl to deal with. 

Everyone is shouting when they finally leave the school. Sheriff Keller pushes past the crowd, shielding Betty on one side with Archie on the other. Veronica watches them go, watches Keller put Betty into the backseat, watches as Archie argues his way into riding in the back with her. Jughead wraps an arm around her chest, pulling him back against him. She latches onto his forearm and bites down on her bottom lip. She knows that this is for the best but it doesn’t change the way her stomach twists itself into knots. 

“She’ll be okay, Veronica,” Jughead mutters into her hair. “Keller will make sure of it and if he doesn’t, Archie will.”

“It still feels wrong, Jug,” Veronica replies. As the cop car pulls away from the school, Veronica turns her back on the whole thing to face Jughead. “It feels like we betrayed her.”

“We saved her,” Jughead says. “Her and everyone else. Remember that.”

“I’m trying,” Veronica replies. She reaches up to cup his face, rubbing her thumbs over his cheeks. “Think we can just be normal teenagers for the rest of the year?”

“Normal teenagers?” Jughead asks, frowning a little. “Not quite sure how that works.”

“You know. Date nights. Study sessions. Junk food,” Veronica lists off. “Maybe prom, if you’re feeling up to it. Just. Seventeen. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

“I think I can manage that,” Jughead says with a nod. Veronica gives him a tired smile that he kisses off her. Veronica sighs into the kiss, sliding her hands into his hair and pulling slightly. She lifts herself onto her toes and grins when Jughead wraps both arms around her waist, holding her tight. With Jughead’s arms around her, being seventeen doesn’t sound so bad. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not thrilled with this ending (I couldn't kill Betty the way JD dies in Heathers. I just couldn't. And I like to think I made her sympathetic enough that the reader would want to get her help just as badly as Archie, Jughead, and Veronica do. So this is where we're at.) BUT it's done and I'll take the win when I can get it! 
> 
> Thanks for muddling through this with me and all the comments and kudos and everything else. I truly appreciate it! <3


End file.
